The AU Sequence 3: Anesthesia
by Original Blue
Summary: Haruno Sakura is 26 and private practice, but she just can't shut the door on her past.
1. Chapter 1

Anesthesia: a numbing drug, inducing an inability to register pain.

The blasting whistle sounded, signaling an approaching train. The two women on the platform quickly stepped back, talking quietly as the 7:30 subway pulled in.

One of the women wore a light blue dress and black shorts. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, a single stray lock left to hang over her right eye. The overall effect was that of the prom queen, someone who was completely put together. Even her baby blue eyes matched her outfit.

"It's too early," Yamanaka Ino argued, her fair hair flicking back and forth in her annoyance.

"They shouldn't start transferring doctors until they know that Suna Hospital is going to close for good. We're too crowded as it is – what will happen when they start sending the trains back to Konoha with patients aboard, instead of doctors? How many more can we take?"

Dr. Haruno Sakura just smiled tiredly and stepped through the metal doors as they opened. Her friend continued to rant as they left the station behind. Luckily, the car they were in was empty. Or rather, unlucky, because this was the third time this week they had been called in for the eight o'clock shift.

The charm bracelet on her left hand jangled as the tiny silver cross hit the Star of David, and the pentagram in quick succession. She sighed, shifting the canvas bag on her right shoulder so that its weight was across her back as well.

Her friend Akimichi Choji and her admirer Rock Lee would never forgive her if she injured herself with something like a bag. Although, she was certain that both chiropractors would cheerfully volunteer to work out any kinks.

_**YOU SHOULD DO IT. WE DESERVE TO BE PAMPERED.**_

_**YOU CAN'T LIE TO ME.**_

Shifting her pink locks out of her eyes, Sakura decided to sit down. Her warm bed had been all too enticing that morning, and only her waiting patients made her leave it.

_**YOU'RE SUCH A KILLJOY.**_

Lately Inner Sakura's voice had shifted from voicing her real thoughts to telling her the greedy, selfish and bad things to do. It was a struggle just trying to pretend she didn't exist.

She slid her bag under the seat and reapplied her makeup. Copious amounts of cover–up were needed to disguise the bruise–like circles under her eyes; even now, she was still afraid that it would rub off and her boss would see the extent of her exhaustion.

Lacing her fingers and stretching, Sakura looked up when Ino fell silent.

"Hm?" she questioned, having missed the last sentence while rubbing her eyes.

"Earth to Dr. Haruno! I said, 'What do you think about the doctor transports?'"

_**SHUT UP, INO. I KNOW EVERYTHING YOU DO. QUIT WHINING AS IF IT'LL MAKE A DIFFERENCE.**_

Inner Sakura thundered in her head, but Sakura promptly ignored her.

The pink haired woman seemed to consider it for a moment.

"I agree with you."

This put out Yamanaka Ino's fire somewhat. She sat down beside her best friend and sighed, just as tired as she was. They had both been working double shifts for the past three weeks, and the influx of doctors just meant that there were more patients to look after. Eventually, one or both of them would drop from exhaustion, and Sakura fervently hoped it wasn't in front of Dr. Tsunade or Dr. Shizune.

Tsunade and Shizune had known her since high school, when Tsunade had accepted the position of principal. The blonde haired woman was imposing, but fair, formidable in every way.

In fact, other than Shizune, Sakura was her only student who knew about her real problem: drinking. However, she didn't drink all the time, and when she was sober, Tsunade was one of the smartest people you would ever meet.

Sakura's mentors understood that her services were widely required, and that there was always work for her. However, if she was too tired to read a patient's chart, then they sent her home with orders not to come back until she could walk in a semi–straight line.

If Sakura fainted, she would probably be exiled for a week or two, and there were people who needed her. She would just eat an energy bar once she got to work.

The train halted several times, but only a few people got on and off at each stop. The odd hours kept by KonoHos staff meant that by the eight o'clock call, most people were already at work or wouldn't leave until later.

Sakura shifted in her worn jeans, rolling the sleeves of her green Beatles shirt up past her elbows. Although it was chilly this early in the morning, it would soon warm under the same sun that lit Suna, Konoha's sister city of the desert. Similarly attired in calf–high boots and denims, Ino leaned her head back until it rested on the quivering glass of the window.

The train pulled into the station across the street from Konoha Hospital. As soon as they got off, the train moved, heading south to Suna. The trains ran every four hours to the other city and back, hauling goods, tourists and new patients for the medics of KonoHos, as it was affectionately called.

As they climbed the steps up from the station, they passed some their coworkers, who were just getting off their sixteen hour shifts.

"Morning Naruto," grunted Ino as they scaled the stairs. "Shino, Hinata – go get some sleep. We need you alive for tomorrow."

The blonde man stretched and patted Ino's arm.

"Have fun out there. There was a bad fire in the East District early today, and they're still getting calls for help. We'll probably be back in a few hours." Both women winced, and then Ino nodded her thanks.

As a part of an emergency response unit, Ino knew that extra warning could mean the difference between life and death for burn victims. They had all grown up together, before Ino and Naruto began working together as paramedics in the emergency department of the Konoha Hospital.

Naruto was tall; taller than either Ino or Sakura by at least half a foot. His lanky form and sure movements offset his height, making him catlike instead of gangly. Once, in high school, Naruto had expressed an interest in Sakura, but she had politely turned him down with a fist to the face.

_**SERVED THE IDIOT RIGHT! WHY WOULD YOU HAVE GONE OUT WITH HIM WHEN THERE WAS SASUKE TO ADMIRE FROM A DISTANCE? YOU KNOW HE LOVES YOU DEEP DOWN–**_

Outer Sakura squashed that thought and continued on. _**Sasuke is my **_**friend**, she thought.

Inner Sakura sulked. _**WELL **_**YOU**_** WOULD LIKE IT.**_

The two women walked out onto the dark street, saying goodbye as Ino walked to a different building. Ino's office was around the side of the hospital, where ambulances departed and were unloaded. Sakura headed towards the cool glass doors of the main hospital and the E.R.

While entering the sliding doors, she nodded to Momochi Haku, a friend and neighbor. She sighed unconsciously upon seeing him; his brown hair was so beautiful, any woman would have given a limb to have it.

How did this man, barely three years older than her, get such gorgeous hair?

He and his adoptive father Zabuza volunteered occasionally at the hospital, relieving the overworked staff for an hour or two. Most of the relieved doctors or nurses spent the time sleeping, or eating something for the first time in days.

"Just stepping out for a second," he said, by way of explanation. "Zabuza's inside, helping Suigetsu."

He winked at her, but she could see the shadows under his eyes. The presence of bloodstains on Haku's usually crisp scrubs was also a bad sign; it meant that things were so bad that Tsunade wouldn't turn down an extra pair of hands, even if they were unlicensed.

The noise level in the emergency room pounded her eardrums.

"Dr. Haruno!"

She heard some of her colleagues motioning for her to move out of the way. Seated along the hallway, burn victims sat in groups, some with crude bandages wrapped around appendages. The latest ambulance run had brought sixteen people, forced to sit or lie down by the sheer pain of standing.

Suigetsu, a pediatric surgeon and Zabuza's nephew, ran past her, blood spattering his front, and sweat running down his cheeks. Amid the perspiration, Sakura noticed tears. Sui had always been sentimental when children were hurt; it was his motivation to becoming a pediatrician. She saw his silver head of hair duck around a corner, then came back to her senses.

Sakura hurried by as people moaned in agony, trying to ignore the smell of burned flesh and hair. She grabbed a lab coat from a rack, praying that it was hers; sometimes she wished she wasn't private practice, and had to wear regular scrubs.

As she passed through the next hallway, she saw a man with brown hair and purple tattoos supporting a blonde woman. She was soot streaked and had a roughly bandaged torso, which she gripped in pain. A red headed man sat next to them, his head wrapped in a makeshift bandage and an icepack on one leg.

He looked up as she went by, his cool blue eyes meeting hers for just a moment.

_**SABAKU GAARA.**_

She froze mid–step, recognizing the Sabaku siblings: Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari. She'd gone to high school with them for a year, and it was a shock to see them here, bleeding in KonoHos.

She opened her mouth in a silent 'o', unable to say a word for fear of screaming.

_**IT'S BEEN A WHILE.**_

Then someone called her name, and she turned to help the woman scoop up a burned child, ignoring the impact on her own clean clothes. She ran him down to pediatrics, delivering him into Zabuza's strong arms, trying not to shout her frustration.

In the confusion, she forgot about the siblings sitting in the hallway.

_**WHY DIDN'T THE FIRE DEPARTMENT GET THERE SOONER?**_

_**WHY DIDN'T SOMEONE REPORT THE SMOKE?**_

_**WHY ISN'T THERE SOMEONE ELSE TO HELP THESE PEOPLE?**_

She was jogging by then, clean shoes a steady tapping on the linoleum.

_**SO IT'S GOING TO BE THAT KIND OF DAY, HUH?**_

_**THE DAY WHEN EVERYTHING GOES WRONG?**_

_**THE DAY WHEN EVERY PATIENT IS HANGING ONTO LIFE BY A THREAD, AND THEY WANT TO LET GO?**_

She nodded to Karin, who was the nurse on duty at the front desk, before rushing behind the counter to retrieve her file.

Sakura walked her fingers through the files until she found the pink 'H' for Haruno. Her eyes scanned the sheet, taking in the staggering figures.

She looked away.

_**WE SHOULD HAVE STAYED HOME THIS MORNING! MORON!**_

Too many burn cases to count, and she didn't have time to try. As she stood there, people were dying.

"Dr. Haruno!"

Sakura heard Shizune's frantic shout from down the hall and dropped the file, ignoring the burgundy haired nurse's mutter of annoyance as she and Tsunade's assistant ran to save lives.

_**WHY DID IT HAVE TO BE FIRE?**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**SEVENTEEN HOURS?**_

_**SEVENTEEN HOURS SINCE WE STEPPED INTO THE BUILDING.**__**TWELVE HOURS OF MEATBALL SURGERY, AND ANOTHER FIVE OF BURN TREATMENT AND AMPUTATION? ARE YOU INSANE?**_

_No, _she told herself. _I saved lives today. I don't wish I'd stayed home, away from the blood, so much blood..._

_**DON'T YOU WISH YOU'D LISTENED TO ME?**_

Sakura was shaking from exhaustion, and her coworkers weren't much better. No one else could do more than collapse onto a bench, head in hands.

She was a mess. Her pale face was smeared with sweat and dirt, her clothes soaked in blood. She would never wear that outfit again. Her pink hair, pinned into a bun with a side part, was sticky with perspiration and grime. She felt filthy as she never had before, physically and mentally.

She leaned against a wall, tears running down her face and sobs racking her chest. She had seen more people die today than in her twenty–six years of life combined. The worst fire in Konoha's history, destroying the lives of hundreds of people in less than six hours.

Over 740 people were in the hotel that caught fire and the office building next door.

Only 319 of them had been saved. Smoke inhalation had killed most of the victims, but some had perished in the burning debris.

_**YOU LET THEM DIE ON THE OPERATING TABLE! YOU COULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING MORE FOR THEM. BUT, YOU DIDN'T! WHY DIDN'T YOU GET MORE HELP? YOU LET THEM BURN!**_

There were too many people to save, and only one of her.

Sakura hugged her torso, legs slowly buckling from under her; she had reached her limit.

Her eyes closed, and she fell sideways, her bloodstained coat barely a distinguishable white anymore. Unconscious at last, her body shuddered and curled into a ball.

For a while, no one noticed her. Then, when Karin looked up from her crossword puzzle, she saw Sakura. The woman glanced around, and then went back to solving 'an eight-letter word for someone completely selfless, another word for cherry blossom'.

She could have written 'Sakura'.

* * *

Sometime during the brutal hours of surgery, Shizune and Tsunade called in all available doctors, on duty and off. This devastation would take months to clean up, even with help.

Just minutes after Sakura's collapse, the medics were all hip deep in less severe wounds, including minor concussions and broken ribs. The doctors had arrived in force, even bringing people from Suna to help. Nevertheless, there were always some patients beyond saving, and all the doctors could do was make them comfortable.

When Tsunade sat at her desk three hours later, at 4:00 in the morning, Yamanaka Ino walked into her office.

"Dr. Tsunade?" The woman looked up from the stack of reports.

The paramedic's normally cheerful face was drawn and pale; only to be expected after the number of hours she had been awake, performing countless rescues and stabilizations.

"What's wrong, Yamanaka?"

Ino told her.

There was a crash, and the head of KonoHos broke her desk into two.

"_What the hell do you mean no one knows where she is?!"_

Tsunade balled her fists, glaring at the world in general.

Haruno Sakura had saved nearly a hundred lives tonight, and no one could be bothered to find out what had happened to her? It was incredible that even Yamanaka was still standing, and she hadn't been operating. Seventeen hours of bloody work, and no one cared enough to find the young doctor who had saved their life?

Ino stepped out of the way, rightly scared of her boss; the large–chested woman was not someone to annoy, especially when she was angry.

She strode out of her office just as Uzumaki Naruto, Hyuuga Hinata, and Hatake Kakashi wandered through the double sliding doors of the E.R.

* * *

Hinata was shaking, and Naruto had an arm around her shoulder to keep her from falling over. This had been her first time seeing someone die, and it had been hard.

Especially when someone had mistaken her for a doctor and made her help to carry out the bodies. Now it was all she could do to hold in the tears, and keep breathing slow breaths. Her indigo locks were sweat streaked and her pale lilac eyes shone with unshed tears for the dead.

Kakashi looked shaken as well.

Though he had seen a lot of death in his years with the Konoha Police Force, and even more as a firefighter before that, the captain was unused to seeing the corpses lying out in good order, waiting to be buried.

He ran a hand through his silver hair, trying not to notice the dried blood under his fingernails.

It was almost cruel, that Naruto, who was younger than Hatake, could stomach it the best of all three. He had seen people die before, and sometimes it was because he couldn't get there fast enough. He had learned to accept it and help others through it.

His bloodshot blue eyes looked straight ahead, as he supported the weakened Hinata. The whisker–like scars on his face, the result of teenage gang wars, made him look almost feral as he dared someone to scare her more.

The trio saw Karin, who hadn't batted a burgundy eyelash as the dead were moved out. She was still engrossed in her newspaper, and didn't bother to move as they approached.

Hinata opened her mouth to say that Karin's shift was over, but Naruto shook his head. The Hyuuga heir was in no state to do anything unless she had someone sitting with her. She was too much of a good person to let someone else take her shift, but that didn't mean _he_ had to be.

They turned the corner and stopped. Kakashi's eyes opened wide and he ran forward.

"Sakura!"

She was a bloody mess on the ground, her pinned hair soaked in crimson liquid. Uzumaki cursed and followed his old teacher, temporarily releasing Hinata. They checked her pulse and moved carefully in case she was hurt, but it seemed she was just asleep.

Naruto continued cursing under his breath as he slowly slid his arms under her legs and back, lifting her off the ground. By the time they reached the end of the hall, Hatake and Hyuuga had learned a new variety of swearwords, some of which not even Kakashi had heard with all his years as a firefighter.

Hinata watched anxiously as Kakashi slid the blood covered lab coat off her friend. She felt like she was in the operating room again, seeing all the twisted flesh and smoky skin. She clutched her stomach, breathing labored.

She turned around and ran towards the bathroom.

Neither Kakashi nor Naruto stopped her. The important thing was to get Sakura to a safe place to make sure she could recover. They walked as quickly as possible without jostling her, heading towards Tsunade's office.

* * *

Across the hall from the place Sakura had fainted, the patient's door was open. A man with scarlet hair and a tattooed kanji sat in his hospital bed, watching with apprehension.

His high school friend and first crush, Haruno Sakura, had been carried out, unconscious and bloody.

He had wanted to see her, but any situation would have been better than this. Not that she might even want to see him, but he wanted to see her. Eight years was a long time, especially when there were things unsaid between them.

Gaara had been awake and watching since they put him in the room, taking care not to inhale the chloroform they pressed against his mouth.

Sabaku Gaara had seen everything.

And he would not rest again until she was safe.

* * *

Hinata had nearly reached the bathroom when Shizune rounded the corner.

Seeing the Hyuuga woman's face, Shizune held back her indigo hair as she heaved into a wastebasket. Her weak stomach convulsed as she remembered the reek of death, swirling in the air around her.

When her aching muscles finally stopped contracting, Hinata told Shizune about Sakura, trying to talk between sobs.

Tsunade's assistant took out her cell phone and called her boss's number. A short conversation followed (with input from Hinata), and Tsunade went to intercept Kakashi, Naruto and Sakura.

Shizune hung up the phone just in time to hold Hinata's hair again. Trembling, Hinata blew her nose in a handy tissue and swished her mouth out at the drinking fountain.

Shizune helped the other woman to the bathroom, where they cleaned her up before going to Tsunade's office.

* * *

In Tsunade's office, Haruno Sakura lay unconscious on a table.

Sakura hated fire; her family had burned in it when she was just sixteen. She had nearly died herself, saved just in time by Hatake Kakashi, a novice firefighter. Now she despaired whenever she heard about fire, smoke damage or burns.

Even barbeques were a test for her, when she spent most of her time as far from the grill as possible, or swimming. Luckily Konoha was the city of cold weather, whereas its sister city, Suna, was in the middle of a desert.

She could still feel the press of the gun to her forehead; still hear her brother scream in her arms.

And every night, Sakura woke with dreams of being burned alive.

This time it was worse though. She could hear people screaming for her to help them, and they looked suspiciously real. She could see the flames licking at their feet, and the scorched flesh flaking off the backs of their legs as they were consumed.

She could hear the voice of Inner Sakura, her private devil, demanding that she relive the horrors in hell.

_**YOU KNOW YOU'RE DAMNED FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE. YOU COULDN'T EVEN SAVE YOUR OWN FAMILY.**_

Sakura sank unflinchingly into the inferno.

* * *

"Sakura? Dr. Haruno?"

Voices, calling her back to the world of light. Her eyes twitched under heavy eyelids as she fought to open them. Suddenly, colors rushed into her vision, and familiar faces swam into view.

"She's awake!"

Tsunade, Ino and others sat around her.

She was lying on a hospital bed in bloody clothes. Sakura groaned and lifted her hands to her aching temples.

Several people helped her sit up a moment later, including Naruto and Kakashi. Where had they come from? Hinata and Ino descended, hugging her and crying.

She assured them that she was fine.

They assured her that she wasn't.

And suddenly, Tsunade had pushed everyone outside and was sitting at her desk.

"Haruno Sakura. How are you feeling?"

She opened her mouth to reply, but Tsunade cut her off.

"I know how you're feeling. And I'm telling you right now that you will go home, take a hot shower, and sleep for the next two days. Do you understand me?" Tsunade's normally loud voice had sunk to a hiss.

_**I SPEAK ENGLISH, OLD HAG.**_

Sakura nodded, too exhausted to argue.

Her blonde role–model straightened up and smiled.

"I'm not angry with you Sakura. You did wonderful work in there, and you gave your all for nearly twenty straight hours. There was nothing else you could have done. Now go home and get some goddamn rest, girl."


	3. Chapter 3

Two days later, feeling refreshed, Sakura walked into the E.R. again. Only this time it was noon, and the hospital was functioning normally again. She had passed Ino and Naruto on the way in; they were going for donuts, and she placed an order for strawberry jelly and maple glaze. Hinata waved to her from a doorway before turning back to the I.V. she was checking.

The world seemed sunnier than it had even a day ago, when she uncovered the stained clothes from the E.R., and consequently found out that her gallon carton of rainbow sherbet was empty.

Nothing could break her good mood as she put her shoulder bag in her office and grabbed her keys, stuffing them into a pocket.

Walking on floors shiny with cleanliness, Sakura found herself much more inclined to be optimistic towards the day. Slipping behind the counter and thumbing through the files until she found her own, the pink haired woman didn't even realize that she was humming a song by Marcy Playground.

Likewise, she didn't notice the good-looking man walking towards her until he leaned against the counter. "Good morning, Dr. Haruno. 'Sex and Candy'?"

She gave a start.

_**SAY YES.**_

Then she flushed.

It was the name of the song she had been humming.

Sakura felt like an idiot for letting Inner Sakura get to her. She had been friends with Sasuke for years – they were certainly on a first name basis. Uchiha Sasuke only ever called her Dr. Haruno when he wanted something, so she responded with equal formality.

"Good morning, Officer Uchiha. Monday already?" He nodded.

On Mondays, Uchiha Sasuke was a blood donor and volunteer at the hospital. For the rest of the week, he was a cop, already on his way to being a captain like Kakashi.

Sakura moved around Sasuke, ignoring the contemplative look he was giving her.

So what if her heart sped up when he did that? They'd enjoyed a brief fling in high school, but Sakura had been young and naïve. If the officer wanted to play doctor, she would tell him firmly that she didn't sleep with volunteers.

_**DO IT!**_The voice of Inner Sakura had grown stronger over the years as its host had ignored it. Now it only sounded in block caps, screaming into her skull and enacting fantasies. _**HE'S ALREADY GOT THE HANDCUFFS**__!_

She shook the thought out of her head.

But he wasn't that kind of man; he was too much of a gentleman to take advantage of her. He just leaned back, an easy smile crossing his handsome face.

Pointedly ignoring him, Sakura read her files and nearly smiled.

There were three cases that stood out among today's patients. Someone, probably Hinata, had given her Sabaku Gaara, Temari and Kankuro.

"Dr. Haruno, I have a favor to ask of you."

Sakura looked up from the pictures and raised an eyebrow at Sasuke. A favor for him could mean anything under the sun, and some things that weren't.

"What kind of favor?"

_**NO MATTER WHAT, HE'LL OWE YOU.**_

Knowing what came to mind, he grinned.

"Nothing spectacular. But it would mean a lot to me if you could help."

She sighed, setting down her clipboard. "Just spit it out, Sasuke. What do you want from me? Enough with the 'Doctor' stuff."

He settled backwards, struggling make his face serious.

"If you insist, Sakura."

_**DON'T YOU LIKE THE WAY HE SAYS YOUR NAME? ISN'T HE AWESOME?**_

"My brother is moving to Konoha in the next few weeks, and I need to find a place for him to stay while the house he bought is remodeled."

Sakura blinked.

"Itachi?"

_**THE HOT, OLDER VERSION OF YOU? THANK YOU, SANTA.**_

He nodded.

She bit her lip, thinking about the request Sasuke had made and her guilty conscience weighing the odds.

_It's been years since I've seen Itachi – he was a smart delinquent in high school, a gang leader. But I owe it to Sasuke; after all, he was there for me when times were tough. The least I can do is let Itachi stay over for a while, right?_

Inner Sakura crossed her arms and put on her translucent poker face.

_**SET YOUR TERMS. FOR EVERY NIGHT ITACHI STAYS, SO DOES SASUKE...**_

She fought the impulse to dig her nails into her scalp and drag Inner Sakura out by her immaterial hair.

Haruno Sakura was too good a person to refuse, and she wondered if the wealthy cop had some reason for not letting his brother stay with him; they _were_ family after all.

Picking up her clipboard again, Sakura nodded. "Yes, he can stay with me. But only for a few weeks, okay? I have a friend from Suna who's going to be staying with me in a month or so."

Sasuke's eyebrows shot up over navy blue eyes._ Is she actually suggesting that I would want Itachi to stay at her house? _The younger Uchiha had merely been wondering if she knew anyone who would be willing to house him.

_Anyone_ who wasn't Haruno Sakura.

"I didn't mean staying with you!"

He put his hands out in front of him in a pleading gesture. She shrugged, still looking through her files as pink locks escaped the black headband she wore.

Sasuke's fingers itched to tuck them behind her ears, but he controlled the urge; from previous experience, he knew that she carried two needles in her pockets, filled with enough chloroform to have him out for a week.

She continued, unaware of his struggle.

"He might as well stay with me. I have an extra bedroom, and it's not forever. I'll give you my address later, or you can call, okay?"

Frustrated, he clenched his fists. "There's no way I'm letting you go through with this!"

_**HE'S JEALOUS!**_

She sighed and just looked at him with her very green eyes.

He shut up.

"Sasuke. It's free, it's easier than renting a place and it's a safe deal. I'll even give him an extra key, okay?"

He nodded, unable to refuse those eyes.

_**YOU MAKE HIM, AN EXPERIENCED COP, SPEECHLESS. AND YOU THINK **_**I' M**_** STUPID.**_

Inner Sakura did a head–desk.

Dr. Haruno, wearing a teal skirt and white blouse, slid past the Uchiha, carrying her files and clipboard marked 'Haruno' in bright pink letters. Her skirt perfectly matched the turquoise that glittered on an anklet and matching necklace with earrings.

He watched her go, ignoring the glares thrown his way by Karin, who had worn fishnet in hopes of catching his eye.

Damn, he wanted her.

**_THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN TRYING TO TELL HER!_**

* * *

The pink haired doctor strode down the hall, passing pediatrics where Suigetsu waved to her, and heading straight for her first patient's room.

She read the name on the chart. "Sabaku Gaara." A grin touched her lips. The years since their last encounter melted away as she remembered his touch, his silky hair, his flexible muscles...

_**GO ON...**_

She took a deep breath and mentally punched Inner Sakura. She fell silent.

Just before she walked in, fingers tapped her shoulder. This wasn't totally unusual, but most of the time that touch meant bad news.

Then she looked up into familiar black eyes and relaxed.

"What's wrong now, Sai?"

She had known this man for six years; she would trust him with her life, if not her patients. He was a public relations expert and a representative of ANBU, the healthcare organization.

He let go of her arm and blinked.

"Nothing really, Sakura. I just want you to be extra careful with this patient, would you? He's a doctor, from Suna. He went into a building to save some kids and got burned, down in East District. If you can make a good impression on him, it could benefit relationships with the Suna hospital. His family owns a major healthcare provider, and we don't want to lose their support."

She sighed.

"Sai, I'll be fine. What do you want me to do, intentionally injure him? I've met him before, and there's not much I can do to piss him off."

Sai nodded and walked away, hands in pockets.

Sai always assigned Sakura to patients who needed extra care; whether it was their wounds, or their personalities, it was hard for the Haruno to rub someone the wrong way.

Her ANBU friend probably had no idea that she had actually dated Gaara for a few weeks in high school, or that all three siblings had attended her seventeenth birthday party.

She rotated her neck, took a deep breath and pushed open the door.

* * *

The TV was on. A man with red hair lay in the hospital bed, eyelids closed in a calm expression.

"Sabaku Gaara?"

He looked up, recognition filling his pale aqua eyes.

"Haruno Sakura."

It had been a long time since he'd seen her last, and she was still unsure of their current relationship. _Maybe we're friends._

_**MAYBE YOU'RE MORE.**_

Shaking her head for a moment, Sakura decided to look at the clipboard. It said his body was healthy, other than the burn on one leg and stitches in his head. Although the wounds had been dressed, she burn still needed attention.

He was still strong, taller than she remembered, and his hair still seemed to burn red. The kanji on his forehead stood out, stark against his pale eyes and fair skin.

She remembered how those callused hands had wrapped around her waist, and when she'd buried her face in those scarlet locks–

_**THAT'S THE WAY TO GO.**_

Though his presence intimidated her, she refused to think badly of him. That he would risk injuring himself to save _children_; it meant he'd changed for the better since they'd last met.

Moving around his bed, she muted the TV so she could think clearly. "It's been a long time, hasn't it Mr. Sabaku? I'm the doctor who'll be overseeing your recovery."

He nodded, still looking at her. She wondered what drew his gaze, until she remembered her bright pink curls.

Her hair color, though rare, was not unheard of in Konoha, where blues and purple went unremarked. Suna though, had less extreme genes in the mix. Blonde, brown, black and red made up its main components, and the rest had dyed hair anyway.

Gaara probably hadn't seen anything like it since their last meeting.

The heart monitor beeped in the background, and her eyes followed a fresh bandage on one arm to an IV hanging over his right shoulder. The drip was still pumping into his system, to ease the pain and restore fluids his body lost in the fire.

"I'm going to clean you up and put some salve into your burn." He nodded, and she turned her attention to his left leg.

Lifting the gauze, she saw that the burn had been cleaned and taken care of. That was one less piece of work for her to do.

She gathered up her supplies from the cabinet and very carefully, cut away the bandage. She didn't want to touch the burned area, which was about the size of a football, in case of pain or infection. Her hands, though freshly washed and gloved, could have picked something up.

Unscrewing the lid of the jar, she heard his voice for the first time in years.

"You're doing well, Dr. Haruno." She nodded absently, still surprised.

"You can call me Gaara, if you like. It's been a while, but we're still friends, right?" His voice was rough, and deeper than she remembered. It wasn't unpleasant however, and she found herself repeating his name.

"Gaara?"

He nodded – her accent had been just right. When they'd first met, she'd been impossible, especially when he tried to teach her his name. His eyes held a strange light as she shifted to sit on the edge of the bed.

_**SEE? HIS THOUGHTS ON THE MATTER HAVEN'T CHANGED ONE BIT. YOU SHOULD BE MORE OPEN–MINDED.**_

Smiling lightly as she redressed the burn, Sakura replied. "Thank you, Gaara. It means a lot that we're friends after everything that happened. You can call me Sakura, if you like."

He grinned at her.

"Okay, Sakura."


	4. Chapter 4

A week later, some of the patients were leaving, wounds healing nicely under gauze.

The morning had been quiet, and some of the officers from the station had stopped by.

After getting permission from Tsunade, the younger generation of employees was whisked away by their police counterparts.

By ten o'clock, they all sat around steaming cups of coffee and donuts.

Ino sat next to Shikamaru, wearing his jacket against the freezing rain that fell outside. She talked to him, eyes bright, and every few seconds, he would nod.

Sakura, who sat between Naruto and Lee, just chuckled; she knew that Ino liked Shika, but would never tell him. Often she thought she would do them a favor if she just told Shikamaru, but it would destroy Ino.

_**WE SHOULD DO IT! INO DESERVES IT. I DARE YOU.**_

Sakura was in not in a mood to be tempted, and she easily ignored the idea.

Lee and Choji were discussing techniques for children's physical therapy with Suigetsu, while Tenten and Neji discussed recent cases.

Neji's cousin, Hinata, was being dominated by Kiba and Shino. The more boisterous cop was laughing out loud and hugging Hinata around the shoulders. Shino just sat there, his transition glasses not completely hiding his red flush of annoyance.

Haku was talking to the waitress, placing an order for a dozen bagels with cream cheese. Only Sai had passed on the food, preferring to question Sasuke about his brother's involvement with Akatsuki Corporations.

The doctors were there for their day off; when on duty, they had been working nonstop. There were always more patients, and it was paradise to just get away for a while.

Sakura and Naruto talked about an upcoming adventure: for a day or two, they would take the train to Suna and wander the sizzling city.

He was excited; that much was plain. A smile never left his lips, and he nearly vibrated when he talked about Christmas, which came a week after they came home.

Sakura would have to clean up her house before she left for Suna; Sasuke's brother would be arriving the night they got home.

_**ITACHI, HUH? LET'S SEE WHAT THE CAT DRAGGED IN.**_

She rubbed her eyes and leaned against the wall. The private nook they had staked out was really a coffee shop that opened into the restaurant. Neji had flat out told the waitress that they needed the café for the next few hours, and that no one should disturb them.

The frightened woman had agreed; people tended not to disagree with Neji when his lilac eyes flashed in annoyance.

The Konoha group was happy.

As the latest graduates from Leaf University, just outside the sprawling city of Konoha, they were all familiar with each other. They had all gone to the same high school, bar Sai, Suigetsu and Haku.

They were all relaxed with their friends, and it was a rare happy moment stolen between burning buildings and exhaustion.

* * *

"Excuse me, Sakura?"

She looked up from Sabaku Gaara's chart, meeting his eyes. "Yes, Gaara?"

He smiled; he did that every time she said his name.

"I heard from one of the nurses that I'll be switched to another doctor in about a week or so. Is that true?"

Inwardly, Sakura sighed. It had probably been Karin, who couldn't keep a lid on it to save her life. Now she would have to meet those cerulean eyes and tell him that she would be on vacation.

"Yes, it's true."

She bit her lip, and then continued. "But I'll only be gone for a few days."

His body, which had tensed as she confirmed his suspicion, relaxed. _A few days? I can live with that._

_**HE CARES. HE DOESN'T WANT YOU TO GO.**_

She smiled at him, and he took it as a positive sign. "So," he asked almost casually, "Where are you going?"

She sighed, knowing he wouldn't let it go until she told him. She turned to him, an ironic smile on her lips. "Suna," she said promptly. "My friends and I plan on exploring your sandy city during two of our thirteen annual vacation days."

He raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. _Her, in Suna?_ The thought was almost comical.

The doctor's fair skin wouldn't tan easily, and she wasn't used to the heat.

He could almost see her, sitting in the sun, sweating, her breathing labored–

Gaara needed to stop.

It was thoughts like that that had gotten him into trouble last time. He turned his attention back to the hospital room, where he saw Sakura redressing his burn and felt her cool hand on his forehead.

For a moment he was tempted to touch her wrist. There would be little resistance; no woman could resist his inhuman allure, or his strength, the product of a membership at the Suna gym.

But as the thought crossed his mind, she seemed to sense his unease and stilled.

_**I KNOW WHAT HE'S THINKING.**_

_**YOU KNOW WHAT HE'S THINKING.**_

_**YOU'RE THINKING IT TOO.**_

Her breathing was shallow and quiet for a just a second, before she shook the unwarranted thought from her head. Turning her attention back to Gaara, she pushed his hair back and pressed the ointment into his forehead, to speed the healing of his stitches.

Gaara dimly saw her clean up, and heard her say farewell. He couldn't focus because the most intoxicating scent had reached his nostrils.

It was _her_ scent.

She smelled sweet and luscious.

She smelled like cherry blossoms.

* * *

Sakura walked down the hall, reaching the room of Gaara's sister, Temari. Turning the handle, she stopped suddenly, hearing giggles.

_**LET'S DISTURB THEM.**_

Mentally, she made a note to ask Temari which one of the staff was having so much fun, and why he wasn't working.

Slowly, she shut the door again and went to Kankuro's neighboring room.

He was asleep, his broken arm resting at his side and his bandaged ribs untouched. She smiled. This tall, cocky man was one of the best patients she'd ever had; he told her where it hurt and when, not pushing himself to point of reinjuring himself.

He didn't play down his wound or use it to his advantage; he treated it as another part of life which would pass in time. He even asked her for extra pain medicine when the original dosage wasn't enough.

He had a crush on one of her friends, but that friend had been effectively claimed for years; there was nothing for it.

Sighing contentedly, she checked the gauze and the plaster, satisfied that both wounds were healing nicely without infection or interference.

_Well I guess I should see if Temari's done yet._

Shutting the door quietly, Sakura turned to check on the Sabaku woman again when Nara Shikamaru walked out of her patient's room. A smile rested on Shika's lips, and his hand stayed on the handle for a moment.

Then he noticed Sakura watching him with interest and flushed to the roots of his jet black hair.

"Sakura."

_**WHAT ARE YOU PLAYING AT, DR. SHIKAMARU?**_

She bit her lip, trying not to laugh. "Shika." She walked past, holding her chuckles in. Her facial muscles strained as she fought to keep a serious expression on her features. It was a struggle, but she was determined not to embarrass Shikamaru more than he had embarrassed himself.

She made it to the end of the hall and around the corner when she sank to her knees, shaking with silent laughter. The first time she saw Nara Shikamaru blush, and she didn't have a camera!

Inner Sakura just smirked.

_**THAT COULD HAVE BEEN YOU, WITH GAARA. OR SASUKE. OR NARUTO. OR LEE. OR–**_

She cut off that train of thought before Inner Sakura could name every male in the building.

Sakura considered her options, laughing quietly. She could tell Ino about the incident, trying not to explain why she cracked up every few seconds, or she could pretend it had never happened, and burst out laughing every time she saw Shika, Temari, or Ino.

None of those seemed like a viable option, and the snickered hilarity went on and on.

* * *

Her quiet, insane laughter didn't stop until someone coughed politely near her.

"Dr. Haruno?"

Stopping mid–snort, Sakura looked up into the eyes of a tall man dressed in nearly all black. _Nice clothes, obviously custom made, and he's talking to some laughing woman in a hospital hallway?_

_**I LIKE THEM TALL.**_

The man looked out of place in a Konoha Hospital. His navy hair paid tribute to his home of Iwa City, or perhaps just ancestry.

Standing and dusting off her burgundy dress, Sakura said, "That's me. And you are...?" The man, who was more than six–feet tall, held out his hand. "Hoshigaki Kisame. Akatsuki associate, and homicide investigator."

She grasped his hand firmly, wondering why this man was talking to her. She hadn't worked on anything illegal or offended any rich people lately. Besides, most people who dealt with the Akatsuki were looking for dead victims, not live doctors.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Hoshigaki. Perhaps we should go to my office, then you can tell me how I can help you." He nodded, and she led him through the maze of KonoHos.

Sakura shrugged off her coat and sat down in her leather swivel chair.

"What can I do for you, Mr. Hoshigaki? Not to be rude, but I don't quite understand what a member of the Akatsuki could want from a surgeon. Unless you want an autopsy, in which case I can recommend a friend of mine, a brilliant forensic scientist named Haku–"

The man shook his head with a grin.

_Rather toothy, isn't he?_ And it was true. The man had incisors which were nearly shark like, and there was a certain predatory look in his eyes. She had no trouble in believing his profession of homicide investigator.

And suddenly, she was very glad that she worked completely on the good side of the law. It wouldn't be very nice if he had to come looking for _her_ killer.

_**SO MANY CHOICES...GAARA, SASUKE, RANDOM AQUAINTANCES...**_

"I'm not here about business, Dr. Haruno." Raising an eyebrow, she walked over to the fridge set into one of the walls and took out a water bottle. When she offered him one, he politely declined, choosing to continue only when she was seated again.

"Dr. Haruno, I'm here for my friend and colleague, Uchiha Itachi. I believe he'll be moving into your flat in a week or so." She nearly choked on her water.

_Itachi? That's what this is about?_

She nodded. "Yes, he is. I offered to let him stay in my house at the request of his brother, my friend Uchiha Sasuke." The man nodded, obviously thinking.

Sakura laced her fingers over her desk. "Please, Mr. Hoshigaki, call me Sakura. I'm not sure why you've come to see me today, but I assure you, I haven't done anything illegal in about six years, and don't intend to start again."

_**IF YOU TRY, YOU MIGHT PERSUADE ME TO.**_

An amused expression crossed his face. _She thinks I'm here to investigate her?_

The tall man nearly chuckled, instead replying to her assumption. "I'm not here to inspect you for hints of wrongdoing, Sakura. Frankly, we've all done something illegal at one point or another. And call me Kisame – I'm only Mr. Hoshigaki at work." He sighed tiredly, running his fingers through the inch long blue hair which ran down to the nape of his neck.

"I'm here to ask that you not be intimidated by Itachi. It's true, he's rather overpowering, particularly towards women."

She furrowed her brows; had Sasuke learned it from his older brother, or was it just the Uchiha temptation?

_**MORE TEMPTING THAN HIS BABY BWUTHER?**_

"But I want you to know, he's not a bad person. He just isn't sure how to interact easily with other people. You could say that when they handed out personalities he got a double dose of genius and very little in the social department."

She smiled at his analogy; already, she liked this man. He seemed like a steady person who was loyal to friends and arsenic to enemies. Sakura wanted to be his friend.

Standing, she shook his hand again. "I can assure you, Kisame, that I don't judge people by their exteriors, whether it's physical or personality wise."

He looked her up and down, taking in the charm bracelet on her left wrist and her bright pink hair before turning back to her face.

Kisame cracked a grin and said, "No, I guess you wouldn't. It's been a pleasure, Sakura. I look forward to meeting you again soon."

It wasn't a lie; he did look forward to seeing her again. She was one of the most forthright people he had ever met, and he liked her hair unusual color. The pink suited her, matching her bottle green eyes perfectly.

She raised an eyebrow at him as he opened the door to leave. "Do you know something I don't?"

Hoshigaki Kisame knew that she would scare the shit out of Itachi and maybe knock some sense into him. Nothing hit the Uchiha man harder than a woman with a mind, and Sakura was certainly that, if nothing else. Besides, Kisame was sure Itachi would have an instant attraction to the woman once he learned of his brother's interest.

Without turning, he smiled, showing all of his teeth.

"I'll be driving Itachi from the airport to your house, and carrying most of his luggage. Have a nice day, Sakura."

She nodded, collapsing as the door shut with a click.

_**THAT WAS A CLOSE CALL. YOU NEARLY–**_

Sakura slammed her head into her desk, cutting off that internal voice.


	5. Chapter 5

"Oi! Sasuke! Get your ass down here! The train's about to leave!"

Naruto stood on the platform, waving to his friend. They were all waiting for the Uchiha, who was trying to drag his suitcase down the station steps.

_**DOES HE HAVE TO BE SO LOUD?**_

Once the Uchiha got to the foot of the stairs and straightened up, he couldn't help but smile. _Suna, here we come,_ he thought as they loaded his suitcase onto a cart. The women were already in the compartment, stowing their luggage under the seats.

It was 9:30 in the morning on a Thursday, and the train to Suna was getting ready to leave. Sai was reclined against his bag, which probably held his paint set and fresh canvas. The pale ANBU representative never went anywhere without his art materials.

Choji was snoring slightly, his hands clasped over his stomach: the sign of a good meal.

Shino had opted to stay out of this trip, and Kiba had sided with him; the chemist was hosting his dad for the weekend, and the K9 cop just figured that sand wouldn't be good for Akamaru's skin.

Hinata, in obvious relief, had taken a seat between Ino and Naruto. Shikamaru filled the seat across the aisle, stretching his long legs to their extent.

Neji sat next to him, listening to his headphones while Tenten typed on her laptop, lips mouthing commands. It was a little known fact, but the happy–go–lucky forensic scientist was a videogame addict. Even in high school, she had been kept happy for hours just shooting at some digital monsters.

Rock Lee hung upside–down from one of the bars that ran across the top of the train. Though the bars were meant as handholds, the physical therapist saw no reason for them not to become training utensils.

"If I can't do three hundred curl ups, I'll do one thousand pull ups!" He set to his task, silently pushing his defined muscles to their limit.

The tired group talked for a while, discussing everything from politics to the way the water swirled in the hospital drinking fountain as opposed to the one at the police station. Nothing seemed to hold their attention for long, and soon they were all sleeping, well on their way to Suna.

The four hour trip was over in what seemed like minutes, and they were stepping out onto a scorching sidewalk. As they stepped out of the train, a hot wind blew over their faces, bringing the smell of summer and warmth.

This was why they had come.

The freezing cold of Konoha, especially during the winter, had only made the grating heat more appealing, especially since the city was discovered to have terrific ice cream.

* * *

The Suna days were hot.

Hotter than anything they had ever felt before. Most of them had only been to Suna once before, and never during the day. The temperatures were so extreme that the whole city slept through the daylight, coming alive at night.

They stayed with Sakura's grandmother, Haruno Chiyo, who owned a large house in the heart of the city. It had been nearly nine years since Sakura had seen her grandmother, mostly because Chiyo didn't approve of Tsunade, referring to her as 'That Slug Woman'.

For two straight days, the members of the Konoha group forgot their jobs, their bills, their responsibilities, and partied in the City of Sand. Nighttime swimming was a favorite, as were the drinks and illegal substances that got passed around. Neji and Sasuke even had their badges officially taken away for one weekend of fun.

And every second was filled with a blazing heat, even at night, when the hazy ball of fire dipped below the horizon. The girls tanned to bronze, and Tenten woke up one morning next to Lee with a panda tattoo on one hip. Hinata drunkenly kissed Naruto one night, and Ino fell asleep in Sai's arms. They smoked, they drank and they didn't care.

For one weekend, they just didn't care.

And the train ride back was murder.

_**MURDER À LA ALCOHOL.**_

* * *

Sakura slept for most of the ride, a huge hangover pounding her ears. Her head was throbbing, and her stomach ached from alcohol consumption. The others weren't much better.

Even Choji, who had drunk the least of all of them, was sick from the marijuana he had been smoking. He was curled up on his side, groaning.

Even Inner Sakura was crouched next to her immaterial toilet, hair tied back.

As the train pulled into the station, they all staggered off, dragging their bags along. Hinata, the most sober of them, decided to call a cab. It came quickly, driving them all to their respective houses. Naruto got out with Hinata, deciding to help her take her bags up; he only lived down the street.

Just before Sasuke got out at his townhouse, he pulled his wallet from his pocket and dished some cash to the cabbie. "Take them home, okay?" He told the man, indicating Ino, Sai and Sakura who were sprawled across the backseat.

The cabbie looked at the wad of money, and nodded quickly.

He drove Sakura home first, getting out with her bags and helping her to the door of her flat.

She turned back in time to say goodbye to Ino and Sai while thanking the cabbie.

He waved it off; for the money Sasuke had given him, the cab driver would gladly have carried her in and kept guard at the door all night.

Struggling to carry her bags in one hand, Sakura didn't even notice that her front door was unlocked.

She walked in and realized that her lights were on.

_Holy shit._

_**BETTER.**_

* * *

Hoshigaki Kisame sat in her living room, next to a man that Sakura hadn't seen since high school, Uchiha Itachi, Sasuke's older brother.

He looked almost exactly the same, except that the elder Uchiha's hair had grown and he was an inch or so taller. Kisame, still grinning at her, brought her bags inside while she thanked him profusely.

_**LIKE I SAID: THE HOT, OLDER VERSION OF SASUKE.**_

She probably looked like shit; the hours of sleep on the train home had done little for her. Rubbing her eyes tiredly, she apologized to her guests, thanking god she had drunk a cup of coffee on the train.

Itachi hadn't changed much since Konoha High, except that he was more composed and intelligent looking. His days as a thug for the Akatsuki still showed though, in his muscled arms and callus hands.

_**WORRIED ALREADY?**_

"Haruno Sakura," she said, shaking Itachi's hand, and Kisame's too for good measure. "It's nice to see you both again."

_**VERY NICE.**_

Itachi nodded and Kisame's mouth twitched. The smile never left his face as he set Sakura's luggage in her bedroom and said goodbye.

"By the way, Itachi, she's being modest. Now it's 'Doctor' Haruno Sakura. She's private practice at twenty–six."

As soon as the door shut, Sakura showed Itachi the bathroom and the guest bedroom, trying not to fall asleep where she stood.

"That's everything, Mr. Uchiha. Do you need anything else?"

_**LIKE ME?**_

He looked at her, still silent. She wondered what else he wanted to say, but he slowly shook his head. "I don't need anything Dr. Haruno. I appreciate you letting me stay here."

She greeted his words with a weary smile. "You're welcome. I think you'll probably like me better in the morning, when I'm awake and don't look like a drunk."

The corners of his mouth lifted slightly, almost a smile.

_So Kisame was right,_ she thought, considering Hoshigaki's description of the man. _He still has trouble expressing emotions, especially trust or happiness._

Inner Sakura snorted. _**AS IF THOSE THINGS MATTER IN THE LONG RUN.**_

She said good night to Itachi and went into her room, pulling off her jeans and dragging on a hoodie. Then the exhausted doctor collapsed into bed, too tired to take a shower.

* * *

Itachi sat on the guest bed, luggage stowed beneath it.

_She's just like I remember._

He thought about her lean figure and smiled.

_Better._

* * *

The smell of something burning drifted towards Sakura's nose and her eyes shot open.

_Shit!_

Had she left the stove on? Had someone knocked over a candle? Had there been an electrical surge?

_**ARSONIST HOUSE GUEST, ANYONE?**_

Without bothering to pull on pants, she opened her door and ran out into the kitchen. Her bare feet sliding over the hardwood floor, she pulled the fire extinguisher out from under the counter and turned to battle the flames.

The only thing she found was an amused man wearing her green apron with flour on his cheek. He was holding one of her spatulas and a stainless–steel pan, which was steaming gently.

Suddenly, Sakura felt like a fool.

Inner Sakura grinned. _**SPOT ON.**_

Itachi had just been trying to cook breakfast, and she had come running out in her underwear like a raving lunatic.

_**WHAT A WAY TO START THE MORNING.**_

Rubbing the bridge of her nose and grumbling, Sakura grabbed a mug of iced tea out of the fridge and went back to her bedroom.

She heard his low chuckles and ground her teeth. He just _had_ to make pancakes that smelled like her worst fear.

The doctor pulled off her hoodie in favor of a t–shirt and shorts. If she was going to do battle with pancakes, she would do it comfortably.

When she went back out into the kitchen, she saw Itachi still struggling with her stove and sighed.

_At least he already cleaned up whatever ingredients he used._

_**DOES IT MATTER THAT THEY WERE PROBABLY TOXIC?**_

Moving next to him, she carefully slid her hands over his, taking the spatula and pan from him.

"No offense Mr. Uchiha," she said as she tipped the burnt batter into the trash, "But you really can't cook pancakes."

He offered a weak smile as she wiped out the pan. "I'm not much of a cook at all. And there's no need to be so formal; you can call me Itachi if like."

She grinned, nodding as she moved through the kitchen. "And you can call me Sakura."

Uchiha Itachi, known for his resistance to alluring women, couldn't help but notice her long pale legs that ghosted over the floors of her flat. It had been so long since he'd been allowed to even touch Haruno Sakura.

_**JUST KEEP ON WATCHING...**_

He was confused when she headed to the pantry and pulled on a spare apron.

_What is she doing?_

Itachi became even more puzzled as she got out flour, salt, milk, butter, eggs, sugar and other ingredients he couldn't begin to name. He stared as she pulled out a grater and a paring knife from a low drawer. He tried his best not to look interested, but finally his curiosity triumphed.

"What are you doing?"

Crouching on the floor, she was surprised at his voice; she had been thinking over the recipe for her favorite pancakes. She straightened up with a bottle of vanilla extract and put one hand on her hip.

"I'm going to teach you how to make pancakes without burning them. Is that okay?"

Itachi raised his eyebrows, but didn't say anything as she began to prepare the ingredients, explaining each step.


	6. Chapter 6

"Should we start?" Itachi's voice was quiet.

Sakura shook her head, leading him over to the sink where she turned on the faucet and put a shot of foam into his hand as well as her own.

_She's got a good sense of hygiene. Better than high school, anyway._

He smirked as they scrubbed their hands and she tossed him a kitchen towel to dry with.

She pulled her pink hair up into a messy bun and tucked a few stray locks behind her ears. Taking a glass bowl from the dish drain, Sakura also plucked a whisk from a ceramic vase on the counter. The vase also held ladles, spoons, and other serving utensils.

_**HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN HIS TOUCH? WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?**_

There was silence before Inner Sakura tried another tactic.

_**YOU'D THINK NO ONE HAD EVER TAUGHT HIM ANYTHING BEFORE... MAYBE YOU SHOULD TEACH HIM MORE SOMETIME.**_

Sakura gasped at her inner self and dropped the dish she was holding, hearing it clatter against the sink.

"What's wrong?"

He was instantly at her side, a worried expression on his face.

She shook her head, picking up the bowl to start the pancakes.

Sakura took a deep breath. "First, you take ¾ cup of half–and–half, 6 tablespoons of milk, 3 tablespoons of brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of butter, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and ½ teaspoon of lemon zest. Stir them together like this..."

Sakura was reciting the recipe from memory as she mixed the ingredients evenly.

Carefully, balancing the mixing bowl on one hip while she stirred with the other hand, she braced the bowl against the counter. After a minute, she stopped and offered the bowl to him.

He blinked.

"Take it, silly."

Itachi raised his eyebrows; couldn't help it. The last time anyone had called him silly, it had been her, nearly eight years ago.

He took the bowl, and she walked behind him.

Suddenly, he felt her hands shifting his posture and guiding his arms until he copied her position with bowl on one hip. His facing growing warm in a most un–Itachi–like blush, he began to mix the batter.

_**IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS FOR YOU, ISN'T IT?**_

_**THE BAD COOKING, THE AWKWARD SMILES...**_

_**THAT'S WHAT YOU LOOK FOR IN A MAN...**_

She chuckled softly as he splattered drops of the beige mixture onto his apron and the counter. Taking his hands in hers, she showed him how to rotate the whisk so that the droplets stayed inside of the bowl.

The entire time, his eyebrows were slightly creased in a puzzled expression.

_This is odd._

And it was odd. Very few people were gentle with Itachi, but she seemed more relaxed than anyone else he'd met. Even his easygoing little brother was tense, ready to become a cop at a moment's notice. But maybe that was because Sasuke knew his big brother could kill with his bare hands.

Sakura was tender, her movements smooth and calm. She seemed at home in this setting, her apron tied tightly around her narrow waist and looped over her neck. The way she shifted her weight, at ease with her surroundings, and the way she hummed as she worked.

It was very soothing.

And it scared Itachi.

When was the last time he had enjoyed a woman's company? He couldn't remember. _The last time was during high school,_ he supposed.

_And that was her too,_ he thought with a sigh. _Why does she let me relax?_

He concentrated on the task at hand, trying not to think about her pale arms, and the way they would feel wrapped around his chest as she ran her slender fingers through his hair–

_**BLISS, AND YOU KNOW IT.**_

He blinked and shook his head.

Stir.

Stir.

When he had mixed it to her satisfaction, she pulled some fruit out of a bowl on the counter. One lemon, one orange, and a handful of raspberries went into a strainer, which she then ran under cold water to rinse.

She looked at the things in front of her, then got the grater and measured out the lemon zest into his bowl.

He watched with interest, studying how she cooked with a careful ease. Her eyes were watching the grated lemon, which swirled into the batter as he slowly whorled it back and forth.

"Are you getting all this, Itachi?"

He nodded.

Leaving him there, she got more ingredients out of a cabinet and pulled down a slightly smaller glass bowl than the one he was holding.

"Now we put 1 cup of flour, 1¼ teaspoons of baking powder, ¼ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon into a bowl..."

With a speed that impressed him, she measured the dry ingredients out and mixed them together. When they had been folded evenly, she told him to set the wet blend down and he watched her mix the two concoctions into a golden brown batter.

Then she turned on the stove, and he watched her flinch slightly from the flame.

_So that's why she panicked earlier. She's afraid of fire. We spent so much time together, and I never found out that she was afraid of fire..._

Memories surfaced in Itachi's normally quiet mind; his little brother, usually calm, had been scared and shaking. Sasuke had said something about a friend; a good friend he thought was going to die...

_Die in fire,_ he thought grimly.

Itachi felt guilty that he had made her so scared, but the fearsome look on her face had been priceless. Not to mention that he had gotten a good look at her scarlet lingerie with white lace.

His obsidian eyes flickered.

He shook the thoughts from his head. Itachi needed to focus on the task at hand, especially if he didn't want to make a fool of himself again.

The pan had heated by then, and Sakura showed him how to hold its handle.

"Like this," she explained as she dipped a ladle into the batter, spooning it into the searing pan.

It hit with a sizzle and she poured it in a thick, even circle until it was a complete pancake. Picking up the spatula, she showed him how to lift the edges before flipping it. Itachi's mouth began to water as an aroma drifted out of the pan. She lifted the pan up to his face, inviting him to smell.

_**SMELLS GOOD, RIGHT?**_

Taking a deep breath of the steam, Itachi thought he was going to faint, it smelled so good. He inhaled again; there was a subtly delectable undertone beneath the obvious richness of the batter. He was almost annoyed with himself; he felt like it should be obvious.

_I know this scent – what the hell is it?_

_Apple? No..._

_Peaches and cream? No..._

Another voice decided to put in its two cents.

_**SEX?**_

He didn't hear.

Then, looking up into her green eyes and bright pink hair, Itachi realized. He hadn't smelled it in years...

It was _her_ scent.

She smelled delicious and succulent.

She smelled like cherry blossoms.

* * *

It was nearly seven o'clock by the time they finished their pancakes. She had put out her special raspberry syrup and sprinkled the finished pancakes with powdered sugar and peanuts, after first asking if he was allergic.

_A doctor to the bone,_ he thought as he sipped his orange juice.

After taking a bite under her critical eye, Itachi dug in. They were the best pancakes he'd ever tasted. When he had finished all four of his pancakes, he ate the half orange she had cut into a flower shape.

If he hadn't been raised with impeccable manners, he would have licked his fingers. As it was, he had a hard time stopping himself.

And the entire time the Uchiha man ate, that tangy, simple taste of cherry blossom never went away.

Sakura took a shower, using her favorite shampoo and a little perfume. It left her feeling refreshed and clean, ready for the day at work.

_**WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT TO FORGET AND SLEEP IN, FOR JUST ONE DAY?**_

Saying goodbye to Itachi at around seven, Sakura barely managed to make it onto the eight o'clock train.

* * *

The buzz and chatter of civilians filled her ears with irony; Ino didn't have work until four, when Sakura would hopefully finish up. Getting on, she saw Shika sitting at the front of the compartment. She sat next to him.

He looked up as she sat down, in the middle of lighting a cigarette.

_**SMOKING KILLS.**_

"Good morning, Shika. I just wanted to talk to you about Sabaku Temari. Is that okay?"

She heard his slight intake of breath when she said her name and knew she had it right. "Shika," she said gently, "I know there's something going on between you two."

The train shuddered once and started down the track, picking up speed.

"So troublesome..."

His eyes were shut and he was taking long drags of his cigarette. "It's not what you think." She raised her eyebrows at him, clearly disbelieving. He glanced at her expression and sighed.

"I love her."

He said it so softly, so quietly, that for a moment Sakura wasn't sure what he had said. Then the enormity of what he had said hit her, and she put a hand on his shoulder.

_**YOU WHAT?**_

Shika was like Sai and Itachi in that none of them was very good at showing strong emotion. This admission of love was tantamount to a marriage proposal, if only she could get the two to that point.

He smiled when she squeezed his shoulder, before dropping his cigarette and crushing it underfoot. Shika lit a new one, careful to breath away from Sakura.

"You haven't seen her for years, except for the past few days. How did it start?" Sakura had to know.

He looked up as they flashed through another station. "I was the one who found the Sabaku siblings sitting in the hallway. Temari and I were best friends and more in high school. When I was in the army, I served in the same regiment as Kankuro; the day of the fire, I recognized him."

He winced and took another drag, letting the smoke slip from between his lips.

"Temari had a bad stomach wound, and she would have bled to death within an hour if I hadn't performed surgery. Her brothers had less severe injuries, and I made sure someone took care of them. I saved her, so now I'm family."

The train pulled into the station with a jolt, and both doctors stood up.

"You have to understand, it wasn't intentional. One day I walked into work and realized that I thought about her constantly, and she had become everything to me."

He rubbed the bridge of his nose self–consciously, but she didn't do anything; Sakura didn't want to make this awkward.

"You know, Shika, I'll trade patients with you, if you really want."

He ran his fingers through his black hair, embarrassed.

"I don't know what to do. But I think she loves me too."

A hopeful glint entered his eyes.

"As long as I can see her every day, I don't think it will be necessary to trade patients with you. But I appreciate the offer." She nodded; she had expected nothing less from her friend.

They walked in a comfortable silence until they reached the front doors of the hospital. "Shika, thank you for telling me."

He just looked at her, a smile on his face and a shadow lifted from his eyes.

"No, Sakura. Thank you for listening."

_**YOU'RE WELCOME.**_


	7. Chapter 7

The clock on the hospital wall seemed to taunt her.

_Just a few more minutes,_ she thought grimly.

Two minutes to four. It ticked again.

_Just a few more, then I won't have to talk to hi–_

"Sakura!"

She froze mid–pace, turning towards the Uchiha Sasuke. _Damn,_ she thought, _I nearly made it out._

It was two weeks later, Monday again, and Sasuke had volunteered with pediatrics today. Suigetsu had been happy for the company, and they both finished early.

During the day, someone had bumped into her, spilling ice water down her front. She'd taken her shirt to the laundry room, not expecting anyone to come in during the ten minute cycle. She was comfortable in her solitude as she waited for it to dry; but she'd forgotten to lock the door.

And of course, whenever Sakura had a good moment, the universe felt obligated to go and ruin it. Today the universe had used Sasuke as its tool, causing him to walk in just before the dryer shut off.

And just before Sakura could shut the door with a humiliated look, he'd gotten a good look at the lingerie she had on.

_**HE DIDN'T LOOK AT ALL DISAPPOINTED. ADMIT THAT HE LOVES YOU!**_

There was no way she wanted to talk to him right now.

"What?" She said, exasperated.

He grinned at her. "Sakura, I'm really sorry for what happened earlier. But if you don't want people to see you in black lace, you shouldn't sit topless on dryers."

She glared daggers at him and he ignored it.

"But I really do feel bad about it, so why don't I take you out to dinner? To make up for it?"

Sakura rolled her eyes; she couldn't help it.

"Men," she said, "You think the answer to everything is to take us out to dinner."

He blushed slightly, and Sakura sighed; Sasuke hadn't turned into a bad person just because he'd seen her bra.

_Jesus Christ! _She thought, _I slept with his fucking brother!_

The ticked to four o'clock, effectively making her choice for her.

_Oh well,_ she thought,_ this might be a good time for something to happen between us._

_**BE CAREFUL,**_ Inner Sakura said in her primmest voice, _**AND DON'T DO ANYTHING I WOULDN'T DO.**_

She looked up into Sasuke's hopeful eyes and sighed again.

"Oh, all right."

He pumped his fist into the air in victory.

"But just as friends," she warned. "And I have to tell Itachi that I won't be cooking."

He ignored her with a grin, and put an arm around her shoulders, leading her out.

* * *

Dinner was incredible.

Sakura had to admit, the Uchiha really knew how to treat a woman.

They were in a swanky little Italian restaurant in North Quarter, a couple blocks from her house. She couldn't pronounce the name of the restaurant, or half the items on the menu.

But Sasuke could, and he told her what they meant.

He didn't even try to trick her into trying something gross as Naruto might have. It was nice to sit and have an intelligent conversation with someone who hadn't fooled you into eating mud as a toddler.

The food was terrific. A high class meal, complete with mint garnish, graced their plates. Whatever she ordered, it was really good food. The sauce was almost sweet, with a hint of zest.

_Lemon?_

They shared plates, trading off to try different combinations. Sakura was glad to have found someone who shared her love of good food and good conversation.

They talked in low voices throughout the meal, right down to the last lick of their dessert spoons. Mud Cake à la mode went perfectly with the espresso Sasuke ordered.

The quiet setting was perfect. The small 'U' shaped booth they sat in faced out onto the street, giving them an excellent view of the city lights. It had started raining outside, just adding to the comfort of the warm room.

Throughout the entire meal, Sasuke had noticed a strange aroma in the air. He liked it; it was like incense, herbal but smoky and addictive.

He didn't understand what it was, but he had a feeling it might be illegal, as intoxicating as it was. Only Sakura was more tempting. The scent seemed to almost be a part of the atmosphere, a physical representation of the mood.

Sakura didn't even notice that Sasuke was looking at her until she finished her coffee and dabbed her mouth with a napkin. He reached over and put his palm to her face.

"You missed some."

He brushed a drop of espresso over her lip with his thumb.

She quivered under his touch. Their eyes met, and Sakura set down her napkin. Sasuke put his arm around her shoulders and she leaned up slowly to press her lips against his.

He responded immediately, twisting fingers into her pink curls, the other holding her hand. She pressed her palm up to his face, feeling the smooth shape of his jaw and the curve of his ear.

God, she loved kissing him.

_**WELL, WHAT ELSE IS NEW?**_

* * *

Sakura woke the next morning alone, thankful she'd been given the day off. It was nearly eleven, and she felt like she needed another hour's rest.

So she rolled over and went back to sleep.

By the time noon rolled around, she'd woken, taken a shower, and dressed in a khaki skirt and a jade colored shirt. Sandals were the order of the day as she greeted Itachi and made them both lunch.

Due to the daily cooking lessons, and the general pleasantness of his teacher, Itachi was learning to cook at an incredible rate. He could already make all of her favorite dishes and was learning Baked Alaska.

For the first day around Itachi, Sakura had been rather wary. After all, they'd unofficially gone out in high school, but never really spent time with each other...

Then the tension had melted, as Sakura figured out that he wasn't going to bring up the past.

The two weeks they'd spent together had been comfortable, learning each other's flaws and perks, not to mention how they liked their spaghetti. It wasn't long before they considered each friends, instead of just old acquaintances.

When she found a new recipe, he either watched her make it or helped her. They each left for work at around the same time, so he was up to help with breakfast.

She discovered his grim sense of humor; her favorite movie, Sixteen Candles, was light in comparison to his, The Godfather.

Their friendship got to the point where he would smile at her jokes and even venture a few of his own. Sakura saw this as an improvement, and began trying to make him laugh.

She'd succeeded only once, when she told him the rudest joke she knew. Ironically enough, she'd learned it from Naruto, who had a whole stock of raunchy jokes ready at a moment's notice.

But Itachi's laugh, which he quickly tried to turn into a cough, made her giggle in return. He made do with a smile, unable to force a serious expression in the face of her joy.

Now Itachi wondered why she was still single.

She was young, but not so young that a boyfriend would be out of the question. For a moment, his thoughts turned to his younger brother, and he remembered that Sasuke had expressed an interest in high school. For some reason, this irritated him, though he wouldn't admit to himself why.

_After all,_ he thought, _I was the one who was sleeping with her._

* * *

_Another date._

_This time we're going to a club._

_**THIS ALMOST COUNTS AS GOING OUT,**_ Inner Sakura commented as her outer self applied mascara and lipstick.

_Oh, shut it._

Sakura was in too good of a mood to be worried by the inane voice in her head.

She pressed her lips together, and then puckered them twice, making sure the crimson color was spread evenly. Her hair was tied with a black headband, marked with the Haruno symbol.

She smoothed down her black tank–top and green miniskirt. Sakura turned in front of the mirror, tweaking her fishnet stockings and straightening her belt.

She sighed. It felt good to put on clothes that weren't for work; clothes she could party in.

Sakura brushed her hair one last time and opened her door.

The hallway was empty, and she breathed out, realizing she'd been holding it. _Why am I worried? I don't really care if Itachi sees me like this..._

_**THEN WHY ARE YOU TIPTOEING?**_

* * *

"Sakura?"

She spun, trying not to let her skirt flare up. "Yes?"

Itachi was leaning against the counter in the kitchen, his eyebrow raised at her attire. _She used to dress up like that for our dates._

Haruno Sakura blushed.

"I'm going out. Will you be okay for dinner?"

He nodded, eyebrows still raised. "I'll be fine."

Flushed, she gave him a quick smile and went to pick up her silvery bag.

Just as she had slung it over her shoulder, the doorbell rang.

Itachi just watched as she pulled it open and greeted her date.

Uchiha Sasuke stood just outside, hands tucked into his jean pockets and a smile on his face.

"Ready to go?"

The shadows in his older brother's eyes deepened as Sasuke led Sakura out to his car.

Itachi turned from the doorway.

* * *

The whole world was skewed sideways.

She vaguely remembered Sasuke paying for their last drinks and leading her out to his car.

After that, she only knew that his mouth had been on hers.

Sakura could feel Sasuke's body against her own, and suddenly they were at her front door. She opened it with one hand, keeping the other around his waist.

She led him into her bedroom, trying not to giggle too loudly when Sasuke closed the door and locked it behind them.

The pink haired woman had no more qualms as he slid his palms under her thighs and lifted her easily onto her jade bed. His obsidian eyes met her green ones and she pulled his shirt off. He unbuttoned her blouse and she wriggled out of her skirt, revealing the black lace he had glimpsed earlier. She leaned back into the pillows, gasping for breath, goosebumps running over her skin where she touched him.

As Sasuke unbuckled his belt, never stopping his affections, he suddenly realized what that aroma had been at the restaurant. It was here now, and it clung to the lithe form in front of him, breathing out of her very pores.

It was _her_ scent.

She smelled edgy and spicy.

She smelled like cherry blossoms.

* * *

The next few hours were flashes of heat and ecstasy, touches and responses more passionate than she remembered.

The last thing she knew before sleep claimed her was the feeling of running her fingers over his silky black hair and his arms wrapped around her torso.


	8. Chapter 8

The morning dawned beautifully after the rainy night, a vision of gold and red that dominated the Eastern skyline. Even the birds fell silent, watching the disk of bronze sail into fields of blue.

Haruno Sakura moaned and rolled over as light hit her eyes. Sasuke felt her move and sighed, his lips parted only slightly. She snuggled into his chest, and he pulled her closer.

They lay like that for a while, neither bothering to get up and look at the time.

Finally, after more than an hour, Sasuke climbed out of bed and started to dress. He had just shrugged on his pants when someone knocked at the door.

Sakura sat up in bed, pulling her blanket around her body.

Sasuke walked over to the door and pulled it open.

Itachi stood in the hall, his hand poised to knock again. He lowered it and said, "Hello, Sasuke, and good morning."

He caught sight of Sakura and nodded to her. "Good morning, Sakura."

Sasuke crossed his arms over his bare chest. "Hello, Itachi. Is there something you need from Sakura?"

His older brother leaned against the doorframe. "She just got a call from the hospital. Apparently, Dr. Tsunade has ordered her to take a few days off."

Sakura raised her eyebrows. "She did?"

Itachi nodded. "Her exact words were 'Don't let the foolish girl overwork herself by coming in today, tomorrow, or the next day. If she does, I'll skin her alive, and then you'll have that on your conscience.'"

He looked over at Sakura's ivory skin, pale against her red sheets. "Needless to say, I didn't feel like being responsible for that."

Sasuke stepped in front of his brother, blocking his view. "Thank you for telling her. Now, if you please?"

Itachi merely nodded and stepped backwards, his gaze never wavering from his brother's face.

As soon as the door shut, and the lock clicked, Sasuke slid out of his pants and got back in bed.

Sakura was a little surprised as he started to kiss her neck.

"Don't you have work, Sasuke?" She gasped as his teeth grazed her ear.

He shook his head into the crook of her arm. "I'm taking the day off."

* * *

Work was boring.

Sakura couldn't wait until the end of the day, when she would go home to Sasuke or he would pick her up. Either way, the monotonous setting was completely different from her last twenty–four hours.

She went to Kankuro's room first this time. He was up and asking about his siblings, wondering when they would be released from the hospital. She replied with a firm:

"When you're healed."

He sighed, but made no comment as she checked his ribs.

"I saw Tenten." She raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

"We've got a date as soon as I'm out of the hospital." She looked at him sharply. "What did Neji have to say on the subject?"

He grinned. "Hyuuga didn't say anything. He just sat there, typing on his laptop."

Sakura pinched the bridge of her nose for a moment, and then continued her examination; Tenten and Neji's relationship wasn't her business.

His ribs were a little tender, but healing nicely. Sakura was so pleased with his progress that she made a mental note to give him some regular ice cream with the freeze–dried hospital food.

Next came, Temari. The blonde woman was a little flushed, and her heart rate had spiked recently. Sakura assumed that it had been Shika making his daily visit.

After checking the blonde's vital signs and her bandages, Sakura talked for a while about high school and what had happened. Although they'd been good friends for the better part of that year, the conditions that the Sabaku siblings had left under were less than friendly.

Temari's burned flesh was healing slowly, and Sakura got the idea that Shika's room–calls weren't exactly helping her heart rate, or metabolism.

"Take it easy, won't you?" Temari nodded her ascent.

And Dr. Haruno might have asked the doctor to stay away if she hadn't known what it would do to the Suna woman.

Shaking her head at her own folly, Sakura left Temari's room, pretending not to notice Shika casually sneaking back in.


	9. Chapter 9

Sakura walked into Gaara's room, a smile on her face and a clipboard in her hand.

"Great news, Gaara! Your stitches can come out, and you'll be going home the day after tomorrow. In fact, Temari and Kankuro will be going with you! Aren't you excited?" Despite her ecstatic exterior, the doctor's hands were gentle as she unwrapped the bandaging on his leg. The skin grafts had taken immediately, and she knew that there would barely be a scar.

NOTHING TO REMEMBER YOU BY, EH?

The Suna man grinned at her. "You look like you're ready to fly, Sakura."

She blushed and pulled a pair of special scissors from her coat pocket. He closed his eyes as she warned him about some slight pain.

CRYBABY.

Shut it, she retorted, and continued her work.

Sakura cut the stitches and carefully began pulling them out. He flinched at the odd sensation, but slowly relaxed under her touch. When the last suture was out, Sakura beamed at him and started to clean up.

The ointment she applied stung, but it was better than looking like Frankenstein in his opinion. After she finished with the head wound, she looked back at the burn mark. The severe second–degree burn had healed nicely, and without infection. It was a blessing that the patient was healthy as well, or the damage might have been more brutal.

LUCKY BASTARD.

"When you go home, make sure to put sun–block on the head wound. Wear long pants, or bandage your leg for at least two weeks, since it gets hot in Suna. And don't forget to take the pain medication if the muscle hurts too much." She put the bottle of said pills on his nightstand and picked up her clipboard.

Haruno Sakura slipped her hand into her pocket, happy that he was recovering. "Good luck, and I'll see you tomorrow before you leave." Gaara murmured goodbye as she waved and shut the door behind her.

* * *

It was a Sunday, her day off.

Hyuuga Hinata was sitting on her porch, talking to her little sister on her cell, when Naruto rode his motorcycle up her driveway. She stopped twining her fingers in her indigo hair and started fidgeting with the hem of her jean skirt.

"Hey, Nar–Naruto." She walked over to him, trying not to let her hands shake. The Hyuuga smiled at him, ignoring the instinct to look down.

"Hey Hinata!" He waved at her, a grin on his face. Hinata blushed and stuttered out a farewell to her sister before hanging up.

Naruto put a foot down to steady the bike and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Are you up for some lunch?"

Oh my god. Hinata nearly fainted then and there. The moment she had been waiting for had finally come, and all she could do was blush?

"Um, yeah!" She smiled nervously, and he noticed how beautiful her eyes were in contrast with her hair.

_Why did I wait so long to ask her out?_

His grin grew wider.

"Then hop on!"

* * *

Nara Shikamaru was watching Temari get out of the car, smiling despite himself. She'd refused his help, and he wasn't about to press her. Hands in his pockets, he stood on hand in case she was unsteady on her feet.

Temari was cussing under breath, and he could tell that she wanted nothing more than to relax, but she needed to do this. _Mondays usually aren't this good,_ he thought, still smirking.

Gaara had already walked into the Sabaku's house, and Kankuro was just waiting for his older sister's bags. "Hurry up," he called, one hand on the doorknob, the other clutching a duffel bag. He still wore light bandaging under his t–shirt, but the ribs were healed for the most part.

Temari's burn was all but gone; fresh stitches on the nastier cuts were the cause of her current pain.

When she finally got out of the car, Shika took one of her hands and both of her bags, then shut the car door with one foot.

They meandered up the brick walkway, neither wanting to part.

_She's so troublesome,_ he thought with a smile, as she turned those gorgeous teal eyes his way.

"What are you so happy about?" She grumbled, blushing slightly.

Shikamaru set her bags inside the doorway of the house and shut the door, leaving them both outside. He breathed deep and kissed her lightly, breathing in that toxic combination of mint and desert.

Sabaku Temari grinned into the kiss; she liked it when her boyfriend took the time to show affection.

When the kiss ended, they leaned their foreheads together. Their hearts were still pounding, and breaths ragged. Lips twitching in a smile, the blonde woman asked, "Still think I'm troublesome?"

He nodded, arms around her waist. "More than ever. Did you know that I love you?"

She nodded her agreement with a sly smile. They kissed again, harsher this time, but still aware that they were in public.

Again, it left Shikamaru breathless, and his mind cleared. He found the words he had been searching for.

"Marry me."

For one heart–pounding moment, he was afraid he'd gone too far.

Then her lips tilted in a wicked grin, and her eyes lit up.

"I'm gonna make your life hell."

He swept her up into another kiss, happier than he had ever been.

"I know."

* * *

After their successful lunch on Sunday, Hinata had suggested they go out for ramen after work. They'd planned for Wednesday, and they'd both been looking forward to it.

It was only their second date, and Hinata wasn't quite sure how it had happened.

One minute, they had been eating ramen, and Uzumaki Naruto had bought her a cinnamon bun. The next they were kissing, arms wrapped around one another, both too excited to even blush.

Feeling the press of Naruto's body against her, the Hyuuga heiress fervently wished that nothing would stop their kiss.

It surprised them both when that kiss sparked a few private hours in the restaurant's bathroom.

* * *

"Shikamaru's getting married?"

Sakura sat in a booth, having coffee with Sasuke and Naruto. They stared at her, eyes wide.

Naruto forced out a short laugh first. "He's too lazy. There is no way he would get his ass to the altar in time." But his eyes betrayed doubt.

_**IDIOTS! ARE WE THE ONLY ONES WHO NOTICED IT?**_

Sakura nodded. Sasuke was sitting next to her, arm around her shoulders, rubbing the back of his neck in shock. "Jeeze," he whispered. Then he looked at Sakura's green eyes and said, "Well, it's not that I wouldn't marry you, it's that I'm not sure we're ready–"

She silenced him with a light peck on the lips. "I know. I'm not ready either."

Turning back to Naruto, she saw Hinata walk in. Sakura waved the dark haired woman over with a smile, looking meaningfully at Sasuke.

It was the look that said he might need to change seats so that Hinata didn't collapse over the proximity to Naruto.

To her obvious surprise, Hinata sat next to Naruto with a smile. Sakura nearly fainted herself when they kissed and Naruto put his arm around her waist.

They did it all without blushing, and Sakura had to remind herself not ogle.

Sasuke cut in to let Sakura recover. "Hinata, have you heard about Shikamaru's engagement?"

The Hyuuga's purple eyebrows shot up. "I heard about it, but I didn't believe it. Shikamaru? Married?" She smiled whole–heartedly. "I hope Temari knows what she's getting herself into. When Shika commits himself to something, he gives it his all."

They all nodded with smiles, slow acceptance settling over them like a blanket. They ate a comfortable breakfast, with lots of joking and laughter. They needed all the fun they could get, considering their career choices.


	10. Chapter 10

**THIS CHAPTER HAS BEEN UPDATED. PLEASE READ IT AGAIN. ALL OF IT. THIS MEANS YOU.**

* * *

Ino called Sai when no one else would pick up.

"Hello?" She smirked at his monotone. Sai had two volumes: bored and asleep.

"What's up, Sai?" He didn't answer for a moment, extremely surprised at her call.

She heard a sigh on the other end. "Nothing, really. You?" Ino started tapping her foot self–consciously. _Maybe it's too fast. After all, there was only ever that one time thing in high school..._

"I'm just bored, since no one's paying any attention to me." There was an aggravated note to her voice, and she wished he was as pushy as other men. "I need something to do other than stare at the ceiling."

"Oh. And you're hoping that history will repeat itself?"

Yamanaka Ino was getting really annoyed now. She'd been in a bad mood ever since she'd heard about Shikamaru's engagement, and didn't feel like resorting to Choji. Finally, irate, she snapped. "Be over in ten minutes." She didn't leave any time for debate, she just slammed the phone down on the receiver.

She stood in her hallway, arms crossed and brow furrowed, until she heard the sound of Sai's Mercedes pulling up in her driveway.

When he knocked, she dragged him inside and locked the door behind him.

_This is why I boy so much lingerie,_ she thought smugly as he pressed her up against a wall with a persistent kiss.

"Are you ready to go?" He had to shout to be heard above the DJ's blasting amps.

Kankuro was wearing black slacks and a dress shirt, the products of Temari's efforts to make her brother handsome. He had loosened his tie, and his jacket was folded over one arm.

Tenten was flushed and embarrassed.

The dress she had picked out was really not her style, and was only wearing it because Ino had said it was flattering. The pale pink fabric seemed to float, settling just above her knees. The red sash around her slim waist matched the ruby necklace she had inherited from her grandmother.

The gold hoop earrings matched the borrowed stilettos, and Tenten thought she would die of happiness when Kankuro suggested that they leave the club early.

Hand in hand, they made their way through the exit. Kankuro's car, a grey hummer sat across the street, and they gravitated towards it. When it was clear that Tenten couldn't walk anywhere else in those heels, he picked her up and carried her to the car, her face red from humiliation and alcohol.

And when they reach Tenten's house, she grinned and asked for his help getting inside. Of course, he complied, and she didn't ask him to leave.

She wanted him there for more than one reason.

_Especially_ because he tore the dress to pieces and snapped the heels.

The beach was beautiful from Hinata's point of view. Especially since the only one sharing the view with her was Naruto. The grinning blonde in question was sitting next to her, shading his eyes against the glare of the sunset.

They had taken a day off and gotten on an early train to Iwa common. They were staying in a gorgeous hotel recommended by Sakura, and neither of them wanted to leave. The salt air and the spray from the crashing waves just added to the majesty of the fairytale. It was the little touches, like the fluffy blankets, that made it so special to Hinata.

The indigo haired Hyuuga felt like she could fly; the most wonderful person she had ever met loved her back, and he didn't think she was useless. Naruto loved every shy, blushing, quiet part of her. And since realizing this, she had become much more outspoken. Sometimes she was the one who would take his hand, or lean up for a kiss. She loved him more than she would have thought possible. His hair, his eyes, the rough scars that lined his face... they were all essential parts of who he was: the person that completed her.

_And the brush of his palm across my shoulder blades..._

All in all, Hinata felt like someone had snipped the strings and made her a real girl.

When the sun rose, Tenten rolled over and sighed. Kankuro looked right back at her, still half–asleep and hugging her red sheets.

They both grinned.

"Okay, you have to admit," Kankuro said with a yawn, "That was great sex."

Tenten winked at him. "You know it. Feel free to give my guy friends some tips." She turned over and stretched, almost falling out of her bed.

Kankuro managed to sit up. "I might be going out tonight. Text me tomorrow? This was fun." She nodded, stubbing her toes on the foot of her bed and cussing.

They both knew what was missing.

Neither minded.

Kankuro made leftovers for breakfast and they ate in comfortable silence. Afterwards, they said goodbye and Tenten set to work filing her reports.

At around ten o'clock, Neji called her cell phone. "Tenten?" To anyone else, her partner's voice would have been bland, but to her his voice sounded worried.

"What is it, Neji?" When things worried Neji, they were generally pretty bad. "What happened?"

There was silence at the other end for a moment. "I could ask you the same thing. Since when do you let your house phone ring at one in the morning?"

Tenten searched her memory. She and Kankuro hadn't been asleep yet, and the ringing had probably been lost in that whirl.

"Nothing's wrong, Neji. Kankuro was over, so I was distracted. Since when do you call at one in the morning?"

Again, there was silence, and Tenten wondered, not for the first time, what her partner was thinking. She was usually pretty good at guessing his moods, and right now the stiff pauses sounded like anger.

"Neji?"

"It's nothing, Tenten. Just next time, try to answer to the phone, alright?" Tenten grinned, twirling a gel pen between her fingers. "Fine."

"See you at work, Tenten."

"Bye, Neji."

Sai was cooking. "How do you want your omelet?" he called upstairs to Ino, who fumbled her way down, still tired.

He kissed her forehead and she said, "With cheese and bell peppers." She hugged him and smiled. "I want the bell peppers diced." He nodded, stroking her blonde locks as she tugged one of his ears.

Yamanaka Ino smiled, yawning, and got out the orange juice. She alone knew Sai's soft spots, and he had made it clear that he knew hers.

Her thoughts were full of scorn. _So what if Shikamaru is getting married? I've got Sai..._

She lost herself daydreaming about the previous night and didn't wake until he brought her fresh coffee and kissed the inside of her wrist.

"Happy Valentine's Day," he whispered and brushed her lips with his own.

_Oh god, I've really got Sai..._

The morning the Sabaku siblings got out of the hospital, Sakura had woken up with Sasuke in her bed.

It had taken her the entire day to convince him that she had to work, and by that time, she hadn't wanted to. A "sick day", he called it, and it wasn't until much later that she remembered her promise to Gaara.

"Temari? Hi, it's Sakura…"

The pink haired doctor had apologized profusely to her Suna friend, and arranged to go to a dinner party in compensation. She even cracked a smile when she heard what they were having.

"Spaghetti and meatballs," Temari said, "And no arguments; it's our kind of food."

When Sakura had agreed weakly with a promise to bring dessert, they said goodbye and hung up.

Temari then proceeded to invite the Uchiha brothers, the Hyuuga cousins, Ino, Naruto, Sai, Kiba, Shino, Choji, and of course, Shikamaru. She didn't need to go far to ask him, considering that she had practically been living at his house since the engagement.

She smiled as she asked her fiancé and he agreed almost instantaneously. She loved that about him, along with so much else: his ability to see the world, but to let the cumbersome things pass him by.

Temari decided to let her brother deal with Tenten. Kankuro was at the gym with her today, and a quick text was his confirmation.

Even though Tenten was going out with her brother, Temari couldn't help but wonder how it would end. Neither of them was good at commitment, and neither of them was really in love. Who would win? Because that's all their relationship was: a game, a competition.

Sabaku Temari got the feeling that her brother wouldn't come out on top once the Hyuuga claimed the brown haired police woman.

No matter how hard he could punch.

When Sasuke took Sakura out for the third time that week, Itachi began to get annoyed.

He didn't anger easily. Usually it was incompetence on someone else's part that provoked him, and it was certainly never women. He couldn't shake the feeling that _he_ was being incompetent by not besting his little brother. It irked him that Sasuke would treat Sakura so kindly and tenderly.

_He's taking her lightly,_ he thought one night as he paced in her living room. _He doesn't understand what she really needs, how important she is._

A part of his mind had been quiet during his ranting, and it spoke only softly. _Just like you did?_

Itachi wanted to scream and hit something, but his superior self–control held him in check. _I didn't take her lightly; I took her for all she was worth! I helped her!_

But that small piece of himself would not quiet._You only used her because she was just like you; empty on the inside. You didn't love her, you didn't care about her!_

"But I do now!"

Uchiha Itachi was extremely shocked to hear the exclamation come from his own mouth, and immediately quieted.

_What am I doing?_ he wondered. _Do I really care about her? I should leave…_

He knew he should start packing, but he couldn't.

He stood in the hall until the early morning, remembering that photograph.

It was from high school.

It was of Sakura.


	11. Chapter 11

**WARNING! THIS IS A HUMONGOUS PAIRING CHAPTER BECAUSE I COULD STAND IT NO LONGER! BE PREPARED FOR MUCH FUNNINESS AND AWKWARDNESS BETWEEN CHARACTERS. =)**

**-Rachel**

* * *

Hyuuga Neji was at the skating rink with Tenten, thinking wistfully of his warm house. She was using her new blades to pull of risky stunts, and he winced every time she leapt into the air.

"Come on, Neji! This is some of the only private ice time I get! Since Lee's not here, you have to do something!" Neji was mildly annoyed that she only thought of him as a replacement for Lee, but the logical part of him said that he would never have come here otherwise.

Reluctantly, he pushed off from the wall, breathing out heavily in the chilly air. "This is pointless," he called to her, circling on the rink. She stuck out her tongue. "It's _fun_," she said, emphasizing the single syllable, "Which you'd know if you ever had any."

Tenten was in her skating outfit and a hoodie, doing her warm–ups. When she twirled, dipping her torso towards the ice, the grey gloves that protected her fingers brushed the ice.

"Neji, I'll push you if you don't do anything," she threatened, gliding past him on one leg.

Neji pinched the bridge of his nose and started skating in loops, hands locked behind his back. "Is this good enough?" he asked, maneuvering in his hockey skates.

"Hn," Tenten replied and giggled as he slammed into a wall.

"Oof!"

In an extremely rare moment of overconfidence, Hyuuga Neji looked like a fool. The air went out of his lungs and he went sprawling over the ice, face up.

"Jeeze, Neji!" Tenten dug into the ice and skated to his side, putting up a spray of ice. When he turned himself over, she dropped to her knees, brown eyes worried. "Are you okay? Bruised anywhere?" He sighed and nodded, heaving himself off the ice. "I'm fine. The only thing that's bruised is my ego. Remind me why I do this again?"

She helped him stand and said, "Because it's our day off, and Lee's organizing a charity race with Gai. You know, they're thinking about joining a team for next year's Tour de France."

Neji couldn't help it; he allowed himself a slight smile as they started back into Tenten's routine.

* * *

"You rent out an entire rink? Twice a week?" Neji asked incredulously, eyebrows furrowed over lilac eyes. He couldn't understand why his usually superb partner would spend her money on something as base as ice skating when she could easily train at the station's gym instead.

Smiling, Tenten nodded in response to his question. "I still love ice skating, whatever my job." When she was sure he was paying attention, she grabbing his hands and went spinning out over the ice again.

_I'll never understand,_ he thought wearily, _But I admire you for your dedication. You find something you want and don't let go._

It would have killed Neji to admit it, but her sense of loyalty and distinct definition of 'right' was something he aspired to. He wanted to know that strength of conviction she carried, which gave her the courage to assault a heavily guarded warehouse in order to save a child.

The policeman figured it was time to stop 'the basics', as she called them, when his legs started throbbing. "Okay, enough," Neji panted, gliding to the wall to rest.

His partner came up beside him, wry smile on her face. "What? The infamous Hyuuga Neji can't take more than three hours of basic practice?" His stony glare only made her giggle.

She following him off the ice and helping him to unlace his skates. "You're such a wimp," she taunted, probably the only person who could say it to his face and live to tell the tale. Her nimble fingers unwound the ties as he regained sensation in his feet.

_Back on solid ground,_ he thought sourly,_ just in time for me not to feel it._

Sighing, the officer pulled off his skates and gave Tenten a look. "We can change over there," she said, correctly interpreting his glance, "But since Lee's not here, I only have the keys to one of them." She groped inside her sweater pocket for a moment, fishing out a jangling set of keys. Neji's expression changed almost perceivably.

"Hn." The monotone wavered as she dragged him into the locker room.

"Calm down," she said, opening the blue locker that held her duffel bag. "Just face that way, and don't peek."

He glared at her again, clearly saying that he would _never_ do something as disrespectful as that, and picked up his own clothes.

As they changed, both felt the tension build. _She's right there,_the Hyuuga thought, _I could just turn and..._ He didn't want to finish that sentence, so he tried to concentrate on buckling his belt.

Neji began to wish that he had never agreed to this. Tenten had skated during high school, and it was through a 'simple training course' that they had discovered Neji's ineptitude. He remembered the weekends spent icing different body parts and drinking cocoa at Tenten's house._ That was when her parents were still around..._

"Neji?"

Instinctively, he turned around.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry..." he said, shutting his eyes again and mentally beating himself. In that momentary lapse of judgment, he'd gotten a good glimpse of pink underwear with white hearts.

"Um, it's okay," she said, blushing visibly, "I was just going to ask you if Kankuro had come to see you yet. He said that he had documents from the Suna police force to give to you and Jiraiya."

Neji pulled his shirt on and sat on the bench, being extremely careful not to glance up as he packed his bag. "No, he hasn't. So what do you see in Kankuro?"

Neji blushed a mortified crimson. He had just blurted out the one thing he'd been trying _not_ to say.

_WHY IN HELL DID I DO THAT? _Inner Hyuuga Neji was not at all amused.

Tenten went still behind him, clearly thinking. "Well, it's like..." she paused, considering, "...it's like the whole 'friends with benefits' thing. We know each other really well, and we like each other anyway." She shrugged. "We're not in love, or anything like that, but it's nice to wake up with a warm body nearby, you know?"

Neji nodded, nearly forgetting that she couldn't see him. "I know." Those last words, uttered almost as an afterthought, made him feel extremely guilty.

_Why am I thinking like this? _he thought angrily, _She obviously wants to be with Kankuro! Even if he doesn't know her the way I know her, or see her the way I see her..._

Tenten finished tying her tennis shoes and turned, hands on hips.

"I expect you to be here tomorrow, too," she said, a wicked grin adorning her face. Neji groaned, slinging his bag over one shoulder and following her out of the ice rink.

His car keys were in his pocket, but only because Tenten didn't have any. She had a car, a license and had never been in an accident, but when it came to speed limits she was all over the place. She'd been banned from driving in Konoha, Ame, and Iwa. The only reason she didn't have bans in other places was that she'd never been to any other cities. Her fellow officers shivered when she got behind the wheel on a_ simulator_.

When they reached the parking lot, Tenten invited him over for dinner, and the exhausted Hyuuga accepted gratefully.

* * *

Surprisingly, Neji had always liked Tenten's house.

It was the complete opposite of his Zen–like style, but it seemed like a place you could call home. The furniture was mismatched, collected from her parents' old house and their attic. The garden was dysfunctional at best, with too many plants for one person to harvest every year.

"Do you want ice water?" she called from the kitchen, where she was making lasagna. "Yes, thank you," he replied taking a seat at her dining room table.

He had learned years ago that Tenten didn't like people in her kitchen, and she liked it even less if they were trying to help. The last time he'd tried, she'd flicked him with a wet towel, leaving a weal on his arm. Now he had contented himself with setting out the silverware and some napkins. She would handle the rest or die trying.

"Here we go!" She came out carrying a whole pan of lasagna, the cheese still sizzling on top.

Neji considered it his guilty pleasure, since each bite was guaranteed to make him have a heart attack. _Going into cardiac arrest is alright, in exchange for Tenten's lasagna,_ he thought as he put his napkin in his lap. _It's kind of funny that the only thing she knows how to make tastes better than a restaurant._

Tenten pulled off the cooking mitts she wore after carefully setting down the pan on a trivet. "This one turned out great!" she said as she passed him a glass of water.

A thought struck him as they ate and he realized he'd be damned if anyone else was going to be on _his_ Tenten's mind. They finished the meal silence; both of their mouths were too full for conversation.

"I bought some ice cream if you want dessert," she called, going back into the kitchen for their after–meal beers.

_What I'd give to wake up here, for her, with her..._

Once she had pulled them out of her fridge, she folded up her dirty apron and splashed some cold water on her face from the sink. _This has been such a long day, _she thought,_ Too long for me._ She grabbed a towel from a drawer and dried off, grateful that the day was finally coming to an end.

"Tenten?"

She turned, and there he was, inches away.

"Um, yeah Neji? Is something wrong?"

_Does he need something? He's standing so close..._

"Yes, something _is_ wrong."

_Damn it! I knew I cooked the lasagna too long! _She licked her lips, trying not to feel so scared.

"What is it?"

_I'd be able to think if he weren't so damn close!_

"It's just that I'm positive," he said, drawing closer, "I can make you so much happier than Kankuro ever could." His voice was just a whisper as Tenten gripped the granite counter for support.

_What's he saying? Why is he...!_

Neji closed the gap, placing a callused palm on her cheek and letting his breath tickle her lips. "I... Neji..." she almost whimpered when he kissed her lightly.

Little did she know that he had been breathing in the faint, tantalizing scent of Tenten since the moment they'd stepped into her house.

_Why are we... why is this... why can't I stop... is he kissing me...?_

She folded into his embrace, eyes fluttering shut. The Hyuuga lifted his partner up, setting her on the kitchen counter. They kissed like they would never see each other again, as if their happiness would depend on the strength of the kiss. When he trailed kisses down her jaw, she leaned back, running her fingers through his fine black hair.

A few moments into the kiss, she could feel something digging into her back, and twisted desperately, trying to dislodge it. There was a crash and a loud hiss.

"Oh shit," Tenten mumbled into Neji's kiss. She backed off for breath and to survey the damage.

She had knocked a beer bottle off the counter, and its contents were now dripping from her cabinets. She turned back to Neji, who she was still wound around and they started laughing. It was carefree laughter, the kind that starts loud and rushes in without notice. It was extremely unusual, and Tenten realized that in all the years she'd known Neji she'd never seen him so relaxed.

Tenten couldn't help but giggle at the scene she was currently participating in. _I've been kissed by Hyuuga Neji after getting him to help me practice my ice skating, and I knocked over a glass beer bottle while we were making out in my kitchen. This isn't a romance; it's a farce!_ They kissed once more and cleaned up the mess, smiling all the while.

Although Tenten sure as hell didn't want him to leave, and Neji didn't exactly want to go, it was comforting to know that they could see each other every day. "See you at work," Neji whispered to her as they kissed goodnight. She flicked his ear, making him wince and grin in alternating sequence. "I'll see _you_tomorrow, Hyuuga, _if_ you're lucky. _If_I don't decide that I like Kankuro better." She tapped her chin. "Or maybe Kiba! You know he used to like me..."

He narrowed his eyes and she laughed at his sour expression. "There's no way I'll let that bastard ever touch you again." She kissed him lightly on the lips. "Jealousy doesn't suit you, Neji. Or are you forgetting that emotions cloud your judgment? I'm my own woman, and I won't hold with unjust anger." She grinned wickedly at him, whispering goodnight and closing the door on him.

Hyuuga Neji just stood on her doorstep for a moment, his eyes warm. Then he put his hands in his pockets, unlocking his car and climbing in. As he drove to his own house, he suddenly felt that a bit of redecorating might be in order.

_She could help me,_ he thought hopefully, and suddenly the next few weeks looked brighter.


	12. Chapter 12

**Big, giant, enormous chapter everybody! And not only in terms of size. I hope you like it, I hope you love it, and I fervently hope you comment, because every little bit helps.**

– **Rachel =)**

"Oh my god!"

Ino stood in the lobby of KonoHos, staring at a picture that had been tacked to the bulletin board. She ripped it off, eyes wide with horror. Leaving Sai where he stood, she raced down the hall.

"Sakura!" She screeched, grabbing the woman in question by the arm and dragging her into an empty room. Ino slammed the door and locked it, huffing loudly. Sakura's expression was worried. "Ino, are you okay?" She pulled small flashlight out of one pocket. "I think your pupils are dilated..." The pink haired woman tried to get a glimpse, but Ino shoved a picture in her face.

"What the hell are you doing, Ino? What's wrong...?"

_**OH NO, HE DIDN'T!**_

Sakura got a good look at it and screamed.

"Bastard!"

Her eyes darkened with fury and she punched the wall. "Asshole! Motherfu–" she broke a set of cabinets. "All of this – this is what he did to me! After all these years! After all the shit he's put me through, you'd think he's have the decency to be guilty! No, this is too fucking far." She grinned, or at least she showed all her teeth to Ino, who shivered. "I'm going make him rot inside! Then I'm going to fucking tear him apart!" She unlocked the door and strode down the hallway, letting the crumpled picture drop to the floor.

Ino picked it up quickly, face red with fear, annoyance and anger. She shoved it in her pants pocket; they were near pediatrics, and that kind of picture was a _bit_ too mature for such young eyes.

When Gaara rounded the corner into the hospital, he was amazed at the sight before him. Haruno Sakura was trying to strangle Uchiha Itachi, and was being held back by no fewer than six of the staff members, including Tsunade. A crowd had gathered around them, and several people were starting to place bets.

"I'm going to kill you, bastard!" Sakura screeched, struggling to get away from her colleagues. "Tsunade, look at that asshole! Look at what he did! Let me kill him now!"

_**ALL RIGHT, TWENTY BUCKS ON THE RAVING LUNATIC WITH PINK HAIR!**_

Tsunade finally lost patience and picked the struggling girl up by the arms, making her shriek at the indignity. "Sakura, if you don't shut up right now, I'll lock you in a room and won't let you out again," she snapped, "Now tell me what in hell he did!"

There was silence for a moment, then Ino came forward quietly. "He did this, . It was pinned to the bulletin board this morning. I've also been finding others around the hospital." She brandished a packet of papers and pulled something out of a pocket, smoothing out the crumpled surface. Then she showed it to the taller blonde woman, whose look turned from one of surprise to fury as Ino whispered the rest of the story. Sakura's screams had been reduced to quiet sobs.

_**NO, PLEASE. DON'T STOP ON OUR ACCOUNT.**_

"Uchiha Itachi," she said stiffly, slinging Sakura's limp form over one shoulder, "Please go into one of the patient's rooms and lock the door behind you. I'm not sure Sakura can behave herself right now." The man nodded and did as he had been told. When the door clicked shit behind him, Tsunade turned to the crowd. "Now, everyone who was involved in this, and you'll know if you were, report to my office." Her voice was extremely calm, but her eyes said that if anyone out of place tried to come in she would murder them on the spot.

She stalked toward her office, ignoring the confusion she trailed behind her.

Sakura was curled up on a bed with her face turned to the wall, sniffling quietly, while quiet conversation went on in Tsunade's office.

"– should be turned over to the police!" said the angry voice of Naruto, and Hinata chimed in her agreement.

Ino shook her head, and Choji said, "Let Sakura at him. I'm pretty sure no one on the police force would bother to punish her, especially after everything that's happened."

There was a silence in which the door opened and closed.

"Where is she?"

Sasuke was standing there, sloe-eyed with anger and they all pointed at her shivering form. When he went to touch her shoulder, she flinched back, eyes wide. "Don't do it," she whispered, pleading. "Just leave him. Take me instead."

Slowly, he backed away, his eyes never leaving hers as he realized she wasn't truly awake. Mutely, the other occupants of Tsunade's office pushed the photographs towards him. He glanced through them, eyes widening as a sickened feeling dropped into the pit of his stomach.

"So I guess we know who killed the Harunos," he said quietly, and Hinata burst into tears.

* * *

It had been Itachi.

The entire time, he had been manipulating her life.

The fire.

_**BASTARD.**_

The fire that had killed Haruto.

Set by him as Hidan went to collect on Haruno Kanima's debt.

He hadn't cared that a child had burned for a few thousand dollars of mortgage.

That day in the rain.

_**MANWHORE.**_

He'd seen her running and recognized her.

Then he'd offered to help the girl he'd torn apart.

In Iwa.

_**ASSHOLE.**_

After the hospital.

He'd taken pleasure in her pain and made a mockery of her suffering.

Now.

_**MOTHERFUCKER.**_

Now he'd moved into her apartment, knowing what he knew, and acted as though he wasn't the filthiest creature to walk the face of the planet.

She'd considered him a _friend._

Now that bastard was going to pay for all the pieces he'd torn out of her heart and all the times he'd made her break.

She was going to get her revenge by being happy.

_**IF THERE'S ANY HAPPINESS LEFT AT THIS POINT.**_

* * *

Sakura sat bolt upright, startling the occupants of the room.

Her gaze flicked through the familiar faces until it settled on his.

That same face.

The same hair.

Those same eyes.

Sasuke moved to help her up but she shook her head. Now was not the time.

_**KEEP IT UNDER CONTROL, IT'S NOT HIM...**_

Tsunade let her sit up and give her a once over.

"She's physically fine. Her knuckles are a little bruised from hitting things, but those will be fine in a day or so. It's her psyche I'm worried about. Sakura, are you with us?"

Nodding, the pink haired woman dropped her gaze, not noticing as tears dripped down her nose. "I'm okay, Tsunade . I just need to tell him what I think of him." Almost shyly, she raised her eyes. "May I? I won't be violent."

Warily, after checking her vital signs once more, the older doctor agreed to let her see him alone. "But only for a moment," she warned, "And if it sounds like you're mutilating him we'll have to come in."

Sakura merely nodded and let them lead her out. Whispers followed them, her bright hair luminous against her white lab coat. Tsunade rapped twice on a door near the recovery wing.

"Uchiha Itachi, you can open the door."

There was some movement and a slight click as the door swung inward. He moved back, his eyes meeting green for just a moment.

"She's just coming to talk," Tsunade cautioned, "But don't push her."

He gave her a deadpan look. "Why on earth would I do that?"

Sakura strode inside and shut the door.

"Itachi."

_**BITCH.**_

He looked down at her, eyes calm.

"Yes?"

To his surprise, she smiled at him, her pose relaxed.

"I don't need you anymore," she said and winked. He nearly reeled backwards in shock.

She continued, face glowing and eyes bright. "I hate you so much that I would cheerfully stab you for no reason. In fact, I'm using amazing self–control not to gouge your eyes out. But there isn't a fiber of my being that wants your company; I will never seek you out again. So I'm going to give you from now until I get off from work to clear your things out of my apartment, lock up behind you and never come back to Konoha again. Do I make myself perfectly clear?"

_**YOU BETTER PRAY FOR A QUICK DEATH; WE LIKE TO PLAY WITH OUR FOOD.**_

Her voice was sugary sweet, but that did nothing to reassure him. He'd seen her at her worst and her best. This was more intense than either. She was in the middle, bordering on being overcome by her emotions but still bound to that alien politeness. To be honest, it scared the shit out of him.

_**DAMN RIGHT.**_

"I understand," he said, and she smiled even more brightly. "Good! I knew you'd see it my way. I just wanted to make sure. Goodbye, Uchiha Itachi." She turned on her black heels and strode out into the hall, her smile dazzling.

He watched her go, confused by her reaction. He thought that he'd had her all figured out. He'd wanted to disrupt her perfect life so she would return to him, broken. But this was something new.

He smirked.

She was the ultimate challenge.

The unsolvable puzzle.

And she was meant stay that way.


	13. Chapter 13

When Sakura got home that night and arrived to an empty house, she sat down and cried. There's only so much grief one body can take before it breaks down and hers had reached its limit. She didn't sleep much, and nightmares walked behind her eyes.

The next morning, when Sasuke showed up at her front door, she let him inside and told him everything that had happened between her and Itachi.

Every terrible detail, every glass broken, every lie told.

_**YOU JUST HAD TO BITE THE BULLET, DIDN'T YOU?**_

Needless to say, he was angry.

He was more than angry. He was furious.

And though he didn't blame her for one bit of it, he did his best to be honest with her; he just couldn't see her in the same light again.

"It's not you," he said, "It's my brother."

_**OH THAT CHEESY LINE AGAIN...**_

But Sakura knew what he meant.

All the pain had only made them draw closer, and Sakura knew she wouldn't be able to lie down next to him again. At least, not without remembering the turns her life had taken since the day Itachi had doused her house in gasoline and struck a match. Maybe that had been Itachi's gift to Sasuke; to make him closer to his friends.

They were both sorry it hadn't worked out. But she knew that they would be the best of friends forever.

A week later, Sakura bought groceries and started eating again. It was a struggle every day, but she loved the feeling of being free, of knowing it all. The oppressive feeling she'd had for nearly ten years had been lifted because she'd learned to forgive.

_Forgive and forget._

_**AND IF WE EVER MEET HIM IN A DARK ALLEY, WE'RE GONNA CASTRATE HIM, RIGHT?**_

_Well, maybe not forget._

_Or forgive, for that matter._

_But we'll come close._

_**CLOSE ONLY COUNTS IN HORSESHOES AND HANDGRENADES.**_

_Oh, just shut up, alright? The point I was _trying_ to make is that we are not actively hunting him with an AK47 assault rifle._

Inner Sakura sulked. _**ONLY BECAUSE TSUNADE CONFISCATED THE LAST ONE.**_

* * *

The next morning, Sakura had Ino come over and together they burned the pictures Itachi had taken. Then they went out and got stuffed on ice cream before returning to Ino's and watching a succession of chick–flicks.

A month after the incident, Sakura's schedule for work finally returned to normal, and she was deemed responsible with a scalpel by Tsunade. Shizune followed her around for the first few hours until she noticed that several of her worried colleagues were doing the same thing.

At some point, the Sabaku's had announced Temari and Shikamaru's wedding date, and the girls went dress shopping together. Temari took the easy road and told them that they were wearing cream with lavender sashes, whether they liked it or not. Then they told her that she was wearing a gorgeous sleeveless lace dress that made her blush every time she looked at it.

The bachelor party was slow (mainly because no one wanted to pay a stripper) and they ended up just going out drinking. The bachelorette party was wild, and Temari wasn't sure whether she remembered most of what they'd done. They did however find a pair of Hinata's underwear in the pool.

The wedding was stupendous and Neji even allowed Kankuro to dance with Tenten once at the reception. Just once though, because then he took her aside and proposed to her. Everyone laughed to see the Hyuuga kneeling, but he bore it for Tenten's sake. It was well worth it, especially when she grabbed him by the tie and kissed him for all he was worth. He took that to mean yes and their friends knew that another wedding was on its way.

Ino and Sai took pictures of everything. Or rather Ino pointed out what she liked and had Sai take pictures for reference at their wedding, which she assumed to be at some point in the near future. Shino and Hana passed around photo albums once they'd congratulated the happy couple, and Shino warned Shikamaru to feed his wedding gift at least once a week. Hinata introduced Naruto to her father, and Hanabi elbowed her big sister into letting her dance with Naruto to make Konohamaru jealous.

Everyone said that Shikamaru and Temari looked wonderful together, and the food was incredible. Friends of the bride all noticed that the cake was the same recipe used years ago at Sakura's seventeenth birthday party.

But the most incredible thing happened when Sakura was shoved into the kitchen to get more drinks and Gaara entered from the other door.

He grinned at her and she felt her heart lift up, taking her breath away. Tentatively, she bit her lower lip and smiled back.

"I, um..."

He stepped forward and put a finger to her lips. "Sakura, it's okay to be afraid." Their eyes met silently and she brushed a lock of hair out of his face.

"I know, Gaara."

They hugged tightly, both too tired to let go.

"Do you know how long I waited for you, Sakura?" She nodded into his collarbone.

Sighing, he used a smooth palm to cup her cheek.

Then she kissed him.

"We waited eight years Gaara. It took eight years for the pain to fade away."

He kissed her again and rested his tattooed forehead on hers.

"No. It took eight years for us to remember love."

_I will never forget again._

* * *

**Final Thoughts: Oh my god, it's all over. I'm so sad, but I'm elated too. When I started this story, I had no idea about how it would end. I guess that at heart I'm still a GaaSaku shipper. Yay for fluff between a demon and a medic! I hope you liked the story, and I hope it wasn't a completely crappy ending, even for you hardcore ItaSaku and SasuSaku shippers.**

**Quick Note: Okay, so we all knew Itachi was Living la Vida Loca over in crazyville in this fanfic. I actually love his real character in the manga and anime, but I couldn't see him being sane in the setting I made for him. Sorry. =D**

– **Rachel**

**The AU Sequence, End.**


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